


He Who Walks Alone at Night

by ipacialiera



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Anal Sex, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Bloodplay, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Cutting, Deepthroating, Depression, Dissociation, Drug Abuse, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Falling In Love, Grinding, Heavy Angst, Isolation, Loneliness, Love Triangles, M/M, Masturbation, Molestation, Monster Hunters, Past Rape/Non-con, Rape Recovery, Self-Esteem Issues, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Supernatural Elements, Unlikely Hero, everyone cries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-08-12
Packaged: 2018-10-16 19:38:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 82,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10578129
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ipacialiera/pseuds/ipacialiera
Summary: Master hunter and photographer Prompto Argentum pursues a target that will change his life, forever. Vampire AU.Listen to playlisthere.





	1. The Strigoi

**Author's Note:**

> Yikes, I'm back! I didn't expect it to be so soon but, gotta strike when the iron's hot, right? In this case, though, it's probably only lukewarm and I don't really know why I'm writing this. I think I'm still depressed over [_The Body_](http://archiveofourown.org/works/10037417/chapters/22370477) and I needed to try and do something a little fun. For those of you that have read that story, this one is nothing like it. (For those of you that haven't, read it! :D)
> 
> I don't really fux with that sparkling vampire shit and it will be kept to a minimum. This is a story about isolation, loneliness, and love more than anything else. I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Tumblr: ipacialiera.tumblr.com

Prompto Argentum was good at what he did. For someone who wasn’t really good at anything growing up –- at school, at sports, at life –- the fact that he had finally found his niche as an adult was something that was exciting and relieving. He was afraid that he would never be anything like the rest of the children at the orphanage he grew up in. He had kept in touch with most of them and they had either met a tragic end via drugs or resorted to living on the streets. He didn’t know exactly how he would do it, but he was determined to have a different outcome and not just be another statistic.

Prompto was a monster hunter and photographer. He was actually a world-renowned expert. His job consisted of exactly what the title implied: he would hunt monsters and daemons across Eos and photograph his journeys along the way. The career started as a fluke, one conceived during many, many drinks with his best friend Gladio Amicitia who bet –- nay, guaranteed –- that he wouldn’t last longer than a week at Hunter School. A hunter himself, Gladio was slowly working his way up the hunter ranks and to distinction. Having at least eighty pounds on Prompto, he possessed the physique that was necessary to be an exemplary hunter. He also possessed a burning desire to become one. Prompto had neither. Regardless, never one to back down from a challenge, Prompto signed up for school the following day.

School was an absolute joke. He couldn’t pay attention because it was so boring. Naturally, as a result, he spent a considerable amount of time making jokes and getting in trouble. Prompto didn’t really understand what there was to learn about hunting. He thought it was pretty simple: you were supposed to kill shit and try not to die in the process. He figured that he would leave as soon as he made it past the week requirement for the bet, but things started getting interesting. Really interesting. They had moved away from the teachers droning on and drilling rote memorization into heads to actual field work. Prompto swore he would never forget walking to a large open area near the school and seeing a long, wooden table. The table had a wide selection of weapons on it and he immediately honed in on a long-barreled pistol. It was silver and ornately carved with a black handgrip that was equally fancy. Its design was loud and annoying and Prompto loved it.

“Ah,” said the class instructor, not surprised. “A flashy gun for a flashy kid. Let’s see you try to handle it.”

Prompto did more than handle it. As he picked up the pistol, relishing the feeling of its weight in his hand, he began obliterating the targets that were in the field. His fellow students and the instructor watched, mouths agape, as he completed the course in record time. When he was done, he placed the pistol back on the table and crossed his arms, looking at everyone coolly, but he was trying hard not to jump up and down and clap excitedly. He felt a sense of exhilaration flow through his veins and Prompto knew that he was hooked forever.

He ended up seeing Hunter School through to the end. He actually managed to pass, but just barely. He pretty much bombed every written test but was always at the top of the class for field exams. He was a natural. After graduation, Gladio was impressed. When Prompto made Trapper rank in two months, Gladio was surprised. But when Prompto made it to Officer in a year, Gladio was rendered speechless.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Gladio over celebratory drinks. They were sitting at a table in a rowdy downtown Insomnia bar that was their favorite.

“Oh, shit.” Prompto began frantically looking for something in his pockets.

“What are you doing?”

“Just trying to find my notebook so I can document this momentous event.”

Gladio took a long swig of his drink then flipped Prompto off. They both laughed and Prompto took a shot.

“But…seriously.” Prompto wrinkled his nose as the alcohol burned a path down his throat. “Are you okay with this?”

Gladio was lifting his glass back to his mouth and paused halfway. Frowning, he set it down.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

Prompto felt his cheeks grow warm and he began squirming in his seat. He hated confrontations, which was ironic since his new occupation consisted of nothing but them. However, he felt the need to discuss the situation with Gladio.

“Well, I…um.” He cleared his throat. “I just. I…”

“You think I’m butt hurt because you outrank me in an occupation that you didn’t even want to do? After only a year?”

Prompto licked his lips and nodded.

“Yeah.”

Gladio drained his drink and looked at Prompto for a long time. The gaze was blank and unreadable and it made Prompto uneasy. He was about to speak again when Gladio put a hand on the table, palm facing up.

“I’ll support you in every way possible, Prompto, regardless of what you choose to do.” He nodded to his hand. Prompto placed his own in it and Gladio gave it a squeeze. “I’m happy for you. Really. You’re my best friend.”

Prompto smiled and Gladio let go, sliding his hand from underneath Prompto’s. He waved a bartender over for more drinks.

“Now stop being a little bitch and suck down some more shots.”

Gladio stayed true to his word and supported Prompto as he continued to ascend the hunter ranks. When Prompto obtained the legendary Alleyway Jack rank, Gladio was front row at the ceremony. They hunted together after that with Gladio jokingly calling him “Master” all the time. Prompto enjoyed hunting with him. He never truly realized how lonely he was on his hunts and it was so nice to have someone to fight with. Fighting always made him feel a high, but fighting with Gladio felt even better. Being in sync with someone in battle made Prompto’s body feel electric.

Gladio was the one that suggested Prompto integrate his photography into his hunts after seeing some of his shots one day.

“Prompto,” said Gladio, going through a small box of photos that was on Prompto’s bookshelf. “These are amazing.”

“Nosy,” Prompto responded as Gladio continued to look through the photos. “Thanks for going through my stuff.” He blushed. “They’re not that good, though…”

Prompto tried to downplay them but, inside, he was beaming. If one asked Prompto what he loved, other than being a hunter, he would have responded with photography. He started shooting casually when he was a teenager and became more serious about it as he grew older. He was hesitant to show anyone his work, but Gladio was different. Gladio wasn’t really impressed by shit but he always seemed to be impressed by Prompto. That meant a lot. He recommended that Prompto added documentary photographer to his résumé and try to sell the photos to whatever news outlet would take them. It turned out that almost all of them did and Prompto was able to sell the photos at a premium price. Between his high rank hunts and the photography, he began to make more money than he ever imagined making. Despite Gladio’s protests, Prompto started giving him a substantial cut of the profits seeing has how he basically owed everything to him. Eventually the two, along with Gladio’s sister Iris, moved in together in a large apartment in one of the nicest areas in Insomnia.

They hunted together for about six years until Gladio almost died. They were hunting a Mahanaga in the Daurell Caverns and had been total assholes, going in with minimal accessories and curatives. They were overconfident. Sloppy. The Mahanaga was a relatively high level daemon, but the both of them had battled it with ease before. That day should have been no different. But when it quickly cast Toad on Gladio and Prompto was inflicted with Stone, that’s when things started going downhill.

The worst thing about Stone is that you can somehow still hear everything that is going on. Hearing your comrade scream in agony and not being able to do anything was heartbreaking for Prompto and he never wanted to feel that pain again. It sounded as if the monster set Gladio on fire once Toad had worn off. After his own spell wore off, Prompto tried to rush over to Gladio but was unable to reach him before the Mahanaga struck Gladio with its thick tail, sending him flying into a wall. Prompto didn’t remember much after that; it was as if his rage created a lapse in memory. Later, he struggled to pull an unconscious Gladio out of the caverns while covered in black blood and his heart raced as he tried to get to his car as fast as he could.

Gladio’s injuries were beyond any curatives Prompto had access to at the time and he had to be admitted to a hospital. He was in a coma for almost a week. Prompto and Iris kept vigil over him along his bedside, not leaving until they were forced out by the presiding doctor. Prompto held Iris as she cried in his arms while looking at her brother’s battered body. As he grabbed her tightly, he vowed that there would never be a repeat of the Daurell hunt.

“You’re retiring,” Prompto said quickly and out of the blue. It had been four days since Gladio woke up and he and Prompto were playing cards. Prompto refused to look up from his cards as he heard Gladio place his on the small food tray attached to his hospital bed.

“Excuse me?”

Prompto dropped his hands into his lap and looked at Gladio. His face was still burned and badly bruised. Looking at him only reinforced Prompto’s decision.

“You’re retiring,” repeated Prompto. “I’m not going through this again and I’m not having Iris go through it, either.”

“It was just a dumb mistake, Prompto. We messed up, but it’s really no big deal.”

“Well, look at where our dumb mistake got you!” Prompto’s raised voice surprised the both of them. He felt an ache in his chest. “We don’t need to hunt anymore, Gladio, it’s stupid. You almost died and that’s a big deal. You’re retired. The end.”

“Last time I checked, your name isn’t Clarus Amicitia. So, don’t tell me what the fuck to do.” Gladio was starting to get angry and Prompto heard his heart rate beat faster on the patient monitor.

“Gladio, please! I…” Prompto hesitated. “I can’t lose you. I need you around.” Prompto saw Gladio’s face soften. “There’s no need for either one of us to hunt anymore. Especially if we’re starting to become careless. We have money, we have fame. What more do we need?”

Gladio sighed.

“Well, if I’m retiring,” he mumbled. “Then so are you. If you can’t lose me, then I can’t lose you.”

“Done,” said Prompto instantly. He was planning on riding off into the sunset soon, anyway.

Gladio snickered and picked up his cards again.

“Yeah, we’ll see.”

***

“No,” said Prompto. “No, no, no. No, Dino.”

“Are you serious? Come on, Prompto. Babe. Do you know what this will mean if you’re successful?”

“What you really mean is, do I know what it will mean for you if I get you the pictures? And I’m not your babe.” Prompto adjusted his sunglasses before shifting his car in fourth gear. He was speeding along a long stretch of road surrounded by Leide desert and headed to Hammerhead, talking to Dino on the phone.

“This could be the jolt that your career needs, Prompto,” argued Dino. Dino Ghiranze was a journalist that was looking for work. Irritating and desperate, he was depending on Prompto to provide him the story of a lifetime. They had met at some bar one night and, after Dino had recognized Prompto, he refused to leave him alone. Still, Prompto gave him his number for reasons unknown and Dino had been begging him to resume hunting ever since.

“I don’t need a ‘jolt’ Dino. I’m retired. By choice. I have been for a year now.” Prompto was beginning to get bored with the conversation. He started to make static noises with his mouth. “Shit, Dino, you’re breaking up. Sorry. Talk to you later.”

“Prompto, wai--” Prompto pushed a button on the car’s console, ending the call. He sighed.

He pulled into Hammerhead, the driveway signal bell announcing his arrival. He could see Cindy in the garage, bent over the hood of a car that she was trying to wax. Prompto pressed his lips together when she hitched a leg up on the side of the car and leaned over farther. He moaned quietly. Cindy had to have known what she was doing. Hearing the bell, she turned around to see who had arrived then rolled her eyes when she saw the familiar sight of Prompto’s sports car. Wiping her hands on her shorts, she started walking over to him.

“You again?” Her country twang was light and playful.

Prompto smiled and pushed his sunglasses down on his nose, gazing over the top of them and at her.

“So, when are we going out? Now, or should I return later?”

“Um, never?” She leaned against his car door and removed his sunglasses, putting them on, then ruffled his hair. “Do you actually need something or did you just come here to be a creep?”

“How about both? I need my oil changed. Literally and figuratively.”

Cindy shook her head and started to walk back to the garage, throwing his glasses on his lap.

“Creep.”

“I hate to see you go,” Prompto yelled. “But I love to watch you leave! Hot damn!”

Cindy kissed her fingers and placed them on her butt and Prompto smiled again. He got out of his car and was headed to Takka’s when he felt his phone vibrate. He pulled it out of his pocket, already knowing who it was.

**_Can we plz talk? Shit will b adventure of lifetime_ **

Prompto was about to stuff his phone back in his pocket when it buzzed again.

**_U chickn? Maybe I should ask sum1 else?_ **

Prompto frowned and began typing back.

**_It would probably take you only 0.5 seconds more to type everything out._ **

“Lazy fool,” murmured Prompto, shoving his phone into his pocket.

Prompto greeted Takka and sat as his usual table. Soon after, a young waitress brought him a Hammerhead Hot Sandwich and grape juice, which was what he always got. He was about to start eating when his phone began buzzing again. Prompto was now pissed off and ate his sandwich with a scowl. His phone buzzed constantly and, when he was done eating, he checked it to see ten text messages and three missed calls.

“Are you for real?”

Prompto paid for his meal and left the diner. He called Dino back, who answered on the first ring.

“Prompto, please, I just need to see you and show you the information I have. You’re going to love this, I swear!”

“Dino, are you this persistent with chicks? Because, if you are, then you must never get laid.”

“Come ON, Prompto!” Dino was pleading now. “I need this!”

“Yeah well, I don’t, so I don’t give a fuck,” snapped Prompto, losing his patience. Dino became quiet and Prompto regretted his words. He closed his eyes and sighed, rubbing a hand along his brow. “Look, Dino. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that.”

“It’s okay,” said Dino. His voice was soft. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”

Prompto sighed again and bit his bottom lip. He supposed he could at least listen to what Dino had to say.

“Where do you want to meet?”

***

Prompto pulled into the Lestallum parking area. The humidity hit him almost immediately and it felt like a hair dryer was blowing directly in his face. As he walked through the crowds and up the steps to the café, it was becoming increasingly harder to breathe and he could feel the sweat begin to slide down his neck. He saw Dino sitting at a small table. He had removed his jacket and loosened his shirt and tie and looked miserable, but perked up when he saw Prompto approach. He leaned over to one side of his chair to reach inside a small leather bag and pulled out a manila folder, placing it on the table. Prompto reached the table and slid the chair opposite of Dino out, sitting down completely unenthused.

“Prompto--”

“Before you even start, Dino,” Prompto interrupted. “You’d better make this worth it. I don’t want to hear that you have some bullshit Rank 7 monster for me to fight.”

“Far from it.” Dino pulled out a photo from the folder, sliding it towards Prompto and tapping it. “Do you know what this is?”

Prompto looked. The photo was horrible. It was grainy, blurry; it possessed every characteristic of a piss poor photograph.

“A crappy picture?”

Dino sighed, then tapped what seemed to be a black smudge.

“This…this is your next target. This is a strigoi.”

Prompto looked confused.

“Am I supposed to know what a strigoi is?”

“A strigoi is a troubled spirit of the dead. Some of these daemons can transform into an animal, or possess the ability to become invisible, or drain blood for vitality…”

“Dino, stop. You’re really telling me that the target that is supposed to bring me out of retirement is a vampire?”

Dino sat up straight in his chair, smiling.

“It’ll be the story of the century. I can feel it. So what do you say?”

Prompto blinked a few times then stood up from the table.

“Bye.”

“No no no no, Prompto!” Dino reached out, grabbing Prompto’s wrist as he began to walk away. “Please.” He dropped his head, looking down at the ground. “I…my editor told me that if I don’t produce something of quality within a month, they’re going to let me go.” He looked back up at Prompto. His eyes were sad. “So, please. Please help me.”

Prompto stared back at him. He didn’t owe Dino anything but still couldn’t help but feel bad. He sat back down at the table and Dino looked triumphant.

“Give me the low down,” said Prompto. He couldn’t believe that he was considering the job. 

“Yes!” He grabbed Prompto’s hand and shook it eagerly. “Thank you, Prompto!”

“Don’t thank me yet. Technically, I haven’t said yes. So, what’s the deal?”

“This strigoi has been sighted in the same area for years,” began Dino. He pulled out a map and circled a large radius around the Rock of Ravatogh with his finger. “Residents of Verinas Mart have reported seeing an odd figure roaming at night. These sightings have persisted for over fifty years.”

“Fifty years? Why haven’t I heard about this before?”

Dino shrugged.

“Who knows? Maybe hunters haven’t heard about this due to the lack of credibility of the reports.”

“How did you find out then?”

“I have my sources. Anyway, he’s been in this area for a while.”

“Where does he stay, exactly? Is it within the Rock of Ravatogh?” Prompto was hoping not. He had become uncomfortable around fire ever since the incident with Gladio. “And, how do you know it’s a he?”

“It’s thought to be a he because of the dead animals found in the area. They’re drained of their blood. Legend has it that female strigoi refuse to drain the blood of animals and, instead, drain humans exclusively. It seems that he is trying to prevent himself of attacking humans by feeding off of animals.”

“So why hunt him then?”

“I guess because the residents still feel threatened. Would you want to coexist with a vampire in your town?”

“Good point. You didn’t answer my other question though. Do you know his approximate location?”

Dino slid the photo back in the folder. He then started fiddling with his silverware.

“Dino…”

“It’s Pitioss.”

“Dino! What the hell?”

“Prompto,” Dino whined. “You’re Alleyway Jack status. You’re telling me that you can’t handle a dungeon like Pitioss Ruins?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what I’m telling you!” Prompto shook his head. “How am I supposed to even get over there? What do you want me to do, flap my wings?”

“No, but I’ve coordinated a helicopter drop off already.” Dino made a face, as if anticipating Prompto to blow up. “…You leave tonight.”

“Come on!”

“The sooner the better. Plus, it’s the only night I could schedule a night drop without waiting until three weeks from now.”

“What if this strigoi stuff is all bogus? Then you’re still screwed and I travel to Pitioss for no reason.”

“That’s just a risk I’m going to have to take. That the both of us are going to have to take. Please, Prompto.”

“Ugh.” Prompto sunk in his chair. “Well, if you’re going to fuck me, Dino, I think I deserve at least one drink.”

***

After the meeting in Lestallum, Prompto went home and sat down with Gladio and Iris in the kitchen. He had explained the situation with Dino to the two and could barely finish his story before Gladio started laughing, hard. Prompto glared at him.

“I don’t think me traveling to Pitioss is all that funny.”

“Well, first of all, I can’t believe that you fell for Dino’s bullshit. Second--honey, hand me my apron,” said Gladio to Iris, holding out his hand. He was getting ready to cook dinner. “What happened to our whole retirement thing? I told you you wouldn’t be able to last long before you got the itch. Third, you’re chasing after a vampire. We’ve never dealt with the supernatural before, ever. You don’t even know if he’s real.”

“I know, but…” Prompto trailed off. He had been offered many hunts since he retired, but this one felt different. “What if Dino is right? What if he is real?”

“Oooh,” said Iris, propping her head up by her hands on the counter. She stared off in the distance dreamily then looked at Prompto, who was at the kitchen table. “What if he’s cute?”

Prompto looked at her and curled a lip.

“Go back to writing your vampire romance fanfic, Iris.” He looked back at Gladio. “I have to know if this strigoi is real. Dino piqued my interest and I won’t rest until I investigate. And, I’ll be fine. I’m more worried about the so-called legendary puzzles and mind tricks in the ruins than anything else. You know how I am with tests.”

“Okay,” said Gladio, pulling out a cutting board. “What if he is real? Then what? Like I said, we’ve never dealt with the supernatural before. What if he possesses skills that you’re not prepared for?”

Prompto snickered, leaning back in his chair and clasping his hands behind his head.

“Do you know who you’re talking to?”

“Yeah, a real asshole. You’re really dumb, you know that? You were the one going on about how being too confident leads to bad things in battle. Now look at you, totally apathetic about fighting an adversary you’ve never encountered.” Gladio looked up from chopping carrots. “What’s the real reason you want to go? You have no obligation to that bothersome reporter.”

Prompto thought for a moment, but couldn’t come up with anything convincing.

“I…just want to.”

“Lame,” Gladio retorted and went back to his carrots. “I didn’t know I was speaking to a child, who just does what he wants because he thinks he can get away with it.”

Prompto could feel himself get angry. He didn’t know why Gladio was acting the way he was. Well, he did, but he didn’t really appreciate it. He made a fist and pounded it on his thigh.

“Stop being so sanctimonious, Gladio.”

“Where’d you learn that word? Certainly not from a book. You know, that thing with small print on pages?”

“I hope you burn your roast!” Prompto spat. He paused. “Will you wish me well? Because I’m not going to do this if I don’t get your blessing.”

Gladio looked at him and smiled. Seeing his face, Prompto smiled back, knowing that Gladio would agree to the trip.

“That’s never stopped you before.”

Prompto got up from the kitchen table and walked over to the counter. He grabbed a slice of carrot and threw it at Gladio.

“Softy. I think you caved in record time. So, are you going to help me pick out some accessories or what?”

***

The three of them had an enjoyable dinner, comfortably making conversation. Gladio and Prompto engaged in constant banter that kept all three of them laughing. Gladio was a little funnier than usual, thanks to the bottle of wine he had downed by himself within minutes. As Iris got up to get another bottle, the men continued to talk and Prompto felt something pierce his heart. The thought of possibly never seeing Gladio and Iris again infiltrated his brain. It started out as a small thought, deep in the back of his mind, but eventually grew bigger and louder as it tried to make it to the forefront. He swallowed hard and forced himself to think about something else.

“Prompto,” said Iris, sitting back down. “Are you okay?”

He nodded and smiled, clearing his throat.

“Yeah.” He smiled wider, then looked at Gladio. “Your roast is really good.”

Gladio raised his eyebrows as if waiting for something else.

“But...?”

Prompto shook his head. “It’s just really good. Thank you for cooking.”

Prompto went back to eating and Gladio and Iris looked at each other, concerned. The mood had changed and the three finished their dinner in silence. They had dessert and watched a movie after that, waiting until Dino came by the apartment to pick Prompto up. At around 12:30 a.m., the doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it,” said Iris quietly. She was sitting between Gladio and Prompto on the couch. Prompto watched her as she got up to do to the door, heart beating slightly faster. Gladio kicked Prompto’s foot to get his attention.

“You sure you still want to do this?”

“Yeah. I can’t wait to return with his head. That’s what they do in vampire movies, right?”

Gladio smiled.

“I guess.”

“Ay, Prompto! Gladio, what’s up?” Dino greeted. He walked over to the couch and held his hand up to Gladio for a high five, but was ignored. Dino laughed, embarrassed, and ran the hand through his hair. “You ready to go, blondie?”

Prompto got up. He turned to Iris and held out his arms. She almost ran into them, hugging him tight.

“Don’t get killed, you big dummy,” she whispered against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

“I won’t.”

He let her go and turned to Gladio. Gladio still sat on the couch and was looking at Dino with disdain, yet remained quiet. After a moment, he got up and gave Prompto a long hug.

“Yeah. What she said.”

Prompto took a deep breath and nodded. He didn’t want to drag the goodbyes out any longer than he had to, otherwise he would change his mind. He went over to the table in the foyer and grabbed his camera. It was a small, but high resolution camera that could fit in a pocket and he used it whenever he was out in the field. Next to it was his pistol, which he strapped to his hip.

“Ready, Dino?”

“Born ready, baby. C’mon.”

Dino sped them out of Insomnia, but they didn’t have far to go. There was a helicopter landing zone right outside of the Insomnia border, across from Crestholm Channels. They parked Dino’s car and the two of them leaned against the hood, looking at the bright, full moon as they waited.

“Shit, almost forgot.” Dino got up and walked over to the driver’s side door, opening it and reaching into his car to grab a few things. He grabbed a radio, some clear goggles, and a box of ear plugs, then made his way back to Prompto and placed the items on the hood. Prompto looked at the goggles and ear plugs and frowned.

“Really?”

“What?” Dino asked, smashing the ear plugs in his ears. “I have sensitive hearing. And, do you want some shit getting into in your eyes and ripping your corneas when we fly?”

Prompto rolled his eyes, then pointed at the radio.

“What’s this for?”

“Huh?”

“For fuck’s…” Prompto spoke louder. “What’s this radio for?”

“Oh, that?” Dino yelled, sliding the goggles on. “Use it to contact me when you leave Pitioss so we can pick you up. It’s already preset, all you need to do is turn it on and call me. It works by satellite, too, so it’s long range and more reliable. Phone reception is iffy near Ravatogh.”

Prompto was about to ask him how he almost forgot something as important as the radio but decided against it. He looked back up at the moon. He was starting to get worried about what awaited him in the ruins. If he didn’t die trying to find the strigoi’s lair, he would probably die trying to fight him. Gladio was right. It was extremely foolish of him to agree to a hunt when he had no idea what to expect and no strategy whatsoever.

“Oh, damn.” Dino’s loud voice interrupted Prompto’s thoughts. “I know that look. It’s the ‘I’m Thinking Too Much’ look.”

Prompto narrowed his eyes, irritated that he was that transparent.

“You don’t know me, Dino.”

“Maybe not,” he admitted. He pointed off into the distance and Prompto could see a helicopter coming towards them. “But what I do know is that your ride’s almost here.”

Prompto could now hear the helicopter grow closer. Dino’s car headlights flashed as he pressed the lock on his key fob and then he began to wave at the pilot. He grabbed at Prompto’s sleeve.

“Come on.”

They jogged over to the HLZ, dust and debris kicking up as the helicopter got closer. When it landed, the pilot started yelling at them almost immediately.

“Hurry the fuck up and get in!” Prompto could barely hear her over the whirring blades. “I’m deviating from my security flight path for this bullshit!”

Prompto and Dino complied and Prompto wasn't even in all the way before the helicopter started to take off. Dino handed Prompto a headset with a microphone and put one on himself. Prompto heard the pilot request the necessary airspace for the route to Pitioss Ruins and his stomach started to churn. When they were at the proper altitude and started to travel at a steady speed, Prompto looked at Dino. He was leaning over on his knees and looked like he was going to barf. Prompto snickered and Dino looked at him pathetically, whimpering into the microphone.

“I forgot my motion sickness pills…”

They flew for almost an hour before Prompto could see the glow of the Rock of Ravatogh. Soon, they began to descend on a small flat area hidden by terrain, north of Verinas Mart. Prompto started to nervously crack his knuckles. When the helicopter was fully grounded, Dino pushed a map in his hands.

“One side marks the approximate location of the dungeon entrance. The other side has some information about the labyrinth, but it’s based primarily on legend.” The pilot looked at Prompto, throwing a hand up in annoyance, and Dino patted him on the shoulder before giving him a thumbs up. “Good luck, man! Call me as soon as you’re done!”

Prompto nodded, taking off the headset, and hopped off of the helicopter. He watched them fly away until he could see them no longer. He turned on his flashlight and looked at his map. It appeared that he had to travel northeast of his location. Exhaling sharply, he tucked the map into a back pocket and began his trek along the mountainside.

He arrived at the entrance easily and without incident. It was a little too easy and Prompto became concerned. He saw the elevator and took it, descending into the unknown, and was greeted by two moving columns of spikes, blocking his way. A wrong move would result in a

“Prompt kebab,” muttered Prompto and he giggled oddly at his horrible joke. Was he going crazy already?

He easily bypassed them and continued, but he was thrown off. He wasn’t really expecting the spikes and he wondered what else was in the ruins. Following the path, he arrived in a large room with several platforms and massive statues. Some of the statues seemed to be blocking his path. Prompto tried shooting them, but that did nothing. He began to grow frustrated as the statues forced him to backtrack and he felt like he was just wandering in a loop.

“Damn it!”

He came across something that he assumed was his first puzzle. He actually activated it by accident; he ended up pressing a switch located along a wall as he fell down it. He dropped down about ten feet and, as he was struggling to stand up, he heard something that sounded like a lock being released and saw an orange glow. He stepped on the glowing switch and a large boulder was released from an alcove and was slowly rolling back into it. He ran into the alcove, hoping that it wasn’t a dead end and he didn’t set himself up to be crushed. It wasn’t and he emerged from the other side and was standing in an area that looked exactly like the one he was in before.

By the time Prompto made it through ten puzzles, he had started to question his sanity. His mind didn’t feel his own anymore. He felt as if he was in a state of existence and non-existence and he had no concept of time. He didn’t know if he had been in the dungeon for two hours, days, or years. Prompto had to get through the puzzles on his own since Dino’s information was no help. The riddles and recommendations jotted down on the paper paled in comparison to what Prompto was actually encountering. After what he thought was possibly the final puzzle, he had reached a platform in the middle of nowhere and he couldn’t identify a discernible path. He began to panic and, just as he began to contemplate throwing himself off of it, the platform dropped and he screamed as he slid down a wall once again. He had landed at yet another path and he could see a massive statue of a woman some ways away. He walked down the rock path for a few steps before he felt it begin to rotate. He didn’t know what he needed to do other than obey his instinct, which was telling him to do everything he could to not fall off. He jumped along the rocks whenever they rotated to stay right side up. When he realized that the rock path had rotated over to statue of the woman, he jumped off and landed on her chest.

“Nice rack,” Prompto murmured, grimacing as he felt his head begin to throb.

The statue began to fall back slowly and Prompto could see that there was still more to the dungeon. He moaned in distress.

“Okay, I get it,” said Prompto. The throbbing was getting worse. “You win. I don’t want to fuck with anything that lives in this place. Just let me go.”

_Why would I do that?_

Prompto began looking around frantically. He could see no one, but he figured that didn’t really matter. The voice seemed like it was coming from inside his head and he began shivering beyond his control.

“Where are you?” He screamed and reached for his pistol. He began spinning around, looking for the source of the voice, pointing his gun with shaking hands.

_I’m nowhere. I’m everywhere._

“Fuck off and come out so I can see you!”

_Why are you so rude and demanding? You’re the one that invaded my home._

Prompto cried out and fell to his knees. His gun slid from his hand and he began pounding a fist lightly against the side of his head. His brain felt like it was trying to turn itself inside out.

“Please,” he said weakly. “Please…I can’t--I can’t take it. Please, get out of my head.”

“If you insist,” said a voice and Prompto gasped, breathing hard. He collapsed to his side, splaying across the cool rock of the statue.

“Why are you here?” The voice continued. Prompto struggled to sit up but couldn’t. “Did you really think your Alleyway Jack status would help you in a battle against me?”

Prompto tensed and he heard a laugh. He closed his eyes.

“Yeah, I know who you are. But do you know me? Do you know what I’m capable of?”

A hand pulled Prompto up by his hair and he cried out. He opened his eyes slowly so he could look at the strigoi, fully expecting to see some horrible monster. Instead, he saw a man that was his age. Maybe even younger. He was pale with cold blue eyes and black hair and looked relatively normal. Prompto was baffled.

“You’re the strigoi?”

The dark haired man looked at Prompto as he shook his head slowly, disappointed.

“They still call me that?” He let go of Prompto, who winced. “It’s better than ‘vampire’, I guess. I think vampire is kind of…uninspired.”

Prompto got on one knee and tried to stand up. He managed to do so, but swayed on his feet. 

“Well, what do you want to be called?”

“By my name,” the strigoi responded. He started walking away from Prompto.

“Which is…what?” Prompto's mind was screaming for him to stop, but he began to follow. He grabbed his camera from his pocket.

The strigoi stopped walking.

“Noctis.”

“Well, Noctis,” said Prompto, hobbling up close. He figured that even if he was going to die, he should still try to get at least one picture. Maybe someone would find his camera along with his body, one day. “Say cheese.”

Noctis turned around and Prompto snapped his camera. The bright flash was unexpected and it blinded Noctis for a moment. He stumbled back a little and Prompto heard him hiss as he revealed his fangs. Prompto turned away from Noctis, digging down deep to run as fast as he could up the arm of the statue. He could see a small area that he could jump down to if he reached the statue’s hands.

_Make sure you don’t fall._

Noctis’ voice reentered Prompto’s mind and he felt as if he just took a sledgehammer to the chest. He stumbled and slipped off of the arm. He couldn’t even scream as he began falling; the shock of the fall had completely overtaken him. He fell for what seemed like an unnatural amount of time, but he was in an unnatural place. He could feel himself start to cry as he tried to brace himself for the impact which seemingly refused to come. Prompto eventually sensed something odd flow through his body and the speed of his descent began to slow. He stopped falling completely and was being lifted back to the statue. He floated back to the top and was suspended in the air about seven feet from the statue’s surface. Prompto could see Noctis looking calmly at him.

“Put…” Prompto closed his eyes. He could still feel something flow inside him like some kind of current. It was a gentle, warm undulation and Prompto was both horrified and intrigued by it. “Put me down.”

“Okay.”

Prompto instantly fell out of the air and onto his back. The wind was knocked out of him and he cried out, rolling around and feeling genuine pain. He felt something hard dig into his ass as he fell. He figured it was the radio that was still in his back pocket and he hoped that it wasn’t broken. He rolled around some more until his limbs suddenly flew out and forced him on his back and his body locked up. He lay on the ground, spread-eagled and frozen and heard footsteps grow closer.

The air crackled with Prompto’s anxiety. There was admittedly some anticipation as well; despite the circumstances, Prompto couldn’t help but feel an adrenaline rush. He could see Noctis wordlessly reach his side. He looked at Prompto for a moment, then at the camera that Prompto was still clutching. Noctis then stepped over his torso and stood over him, looking down.

“What do you plan on doing with my picture?”

“I…” Prompto tried to sit up in vain. He was completely pinned. “Nothing.”

Noctis lifted a boot to Prompto’s chest. He began to slowly push down on it, causing Prompto to scream.

“Do you know that I can crush your chest easily? I’m barely pushing down on you. Are you sure this is a fight you want to start?”

Noctis pushed down even harder and Prompto feared that his sternum would crack completely.

“Please,” Prompto choked out. “Stop.”

“You’re not the first fool to find and try to slay me. You probably won’t be the last.” Noctis removed his boot from Prompto’s chest. “If you really want to fight, then meet me in the Myrlwood when you’re ready. I’ll be waiting for you.”

Noctis started to walk away and Prompto was able to move again. He rolled onto his hands and knees, head hanging as he began dry heaving. He began to panic as he tried to think of how he would be able to navigate out of the ruins. He was almost broken, both physically and mentally, and was certain that he would fall victim to the puzzles and platforms that remained.

“Don’t worry about that,” said Noctis from the shadows. Prompto’s head snapped up, trying to find him. “Wouldn’t want you to die trying to get out of here when I plan on killing you in the Myrlwood.”

Prompto screamed as he felt more pain. It was as if he was being engulfed in a flash as his body disintegrated into billions of microscopic pieces, then fused back together. He found himself standing in the clearing that he was dropped off in. The sky was a muted purplish-pink as the sun began to rise. Based on this, Prompto initially thought that he had been in Pitioss for only three or four hours, but he wasn’t certain it was the same day or even the same year. He looked up at the sky for a moment, then began to cry. He cried for a while, feeling his fear and pain flow out of him with his tears. When he was calm again, he sighed and looked down at one of his hands, bewildered. He had still somehow managed to hold on to his camera.

“Fucking Dino,” he whispered.

Prompto slowly reached behind him to stick the camera in one pocket and grab the radio from the other. He groaned as he felt intense pain shoot through his chest like a lightning bolt. He brought the radio up to his mouth with a trembling hand, hoping it still worked. Hoping that Dino was still around to receive his message. He pressed the push-to-talk button.

“Dino…it’s me. Prompto.” Prompto’s voice was fading. He felt himself succumbing to fatigue. “Help me. Come pick me up.”

He released the button and heard no response for almost thirty seconds. He could feel his eyes sting with tears again and pushed the button once more.

“Dino, it’s Prompto. Please help. I want to go home.”

“Prompto! Oh, shit!”

Prompto laughed and closed his eyes, the relief hitting him as hard as the exhaustion.

“Come get me already, dammit.”

“Yeah, yeah! Hang tight!” A pause. “You get a picture?”

“You…” Prompto began to feel nauseated. He was dizzy. “…asshole…”

He fell on the ground, radio tumbling from his hand, and he finally passed out.


	2. Myrlwood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Against his better judgment, Prompto meets Noctis in the Myrlwood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Mommy Iris and Daddy Gladio care for their babeh Prompto, Prompto screams in pain a lot, and Noctis is still an asshole. Also, I think Kimya Auburnbrie talks like Yoda in the game? Idk, I can't really remember, but she does in this story.
> 
> WARNING: Suicidal ideations are mentioned in this chapter.
> 
> Enjoy!

“Prompto. Prompto, wake up!”

Prompto awoke to Dino leaning over in the driver’s seat and snapping fingers in his face. His eyes opened slowly and he groaned, rolling his head on his seat’s head rest.

“Where…am I?”

“We’re about to head across the Insomnia border,” said Dino, starting his car. “The helicopter just dropped us off at the HLZ. You know, you’re a lot heavier than you look.”

“Did I pass out?” Prompto sat up in his seat and moaned softly. It was as if every inch of his skin was sore to the touch.

“Hell yeah, you did. You kept muttering something before you were out cold, but I couldn’t make it out. Are you okay? What happened?”

Prompto swallowed, trying to get his dry throat working properly again. He dug his camera out of his pocket as Dino began to drive off. Dino rolled down the windows and Prompto sighed at the feeling of the cool air against his face.

“You seem pretty fucked up,” continued Dino. They pulled up to the border, doing the necessary biometrics scanning for entry, and headed into the city. “Do I need to take you to the hospital?”

Prompto shook his head. “No.” He looked down at the camera in his hand, turning it on. Noctis’ face popped up on the screen. Although taken in haste, the picture was good enough to show what Noctis looked like. Prompto studied his face, still trying to understand how a daemon could look so normal.

“So, come on, dude. Tell me what happened. What was Pitioss like? Did you see the strigoi? What was he like?” Dino tried to glance at Prompto’s camera. “Did you get a picture?”

Prompto quickly navigated to the trash can icon and pressed a button before he realized what he was doing.

“No, man. Sorry.”

Dino banged a hand against the steering wheel.

“Shit.”

“I met the strigoi. I’m supposed to meet him again when I’m ready.” Prompto tucked his camera back into his pocket.

“What?” Dino’s voice was loud and Prompto cringed.

“Ouch, my head.”

“Sorry. What the hell are you supposed to do? Fight him again?”

“Apparently. Although, it wasn’t much of a fight last night. There’s no way I’m going to be able to beat him, ever.” Prompto paused. “So, there’s your story: ‘Master Hunter Prompto Argentum Defeated by the Legendary Strigoi’. I fulfilled my end of the bargain. I gave you a story. Can I be done now?”

Dino frowned.

“You didn’t get a picture though.”

“If I can remember correctly, the agreement wasn’t a picture, it was a story. Which I just gave you. I’ll even do an interview if you want.” Prompto really wasn’t in the mood for an argument.

“Yeah, but…” Dino looked at Prompto. “Why are you so hell bent on abandoning this target? Did something happen to you that you’re not telling me?”

Prompto was silent. For some reason, he didn’t want anyone to find out about Noctis. It was as if he had a desire to protect him, which was confusing. He wondered if he felt as if he owed it to him; Noctis could have easily killed him in the ruins, but chose not to. The fact that Noctis spared his life was confusing as well. The entire situation was too unpredictable and Prompto didn't like that. Noctis' unpredictable nature in conjunction with his supreme power was something to be feared.

Prompto’s mind abruptly shifted to the weird vibrating feeling he felt earlier. He could still feel it weakly pulsating through him and felt shame creep in as he admitted to himself that the sensation was somewhat pleasurable. Prompto assumed that the vibration was a result of Noctis invading his body and mind and that it was also a tracking method.

“Hello?”

“No, Dino, nothing happened to me.”

“Then what--”

“If you’re so curious as to what went on, go in there yourself.” He looked out of the window. “I’m sorry.”

The two of them didn’t speak for the rest of the ride. The tension was palpable and Prompto almost broke down and agreed to continue the quest, but Dino pulled up in front of his apartment complex before he could say anything.

“There you go,” said Dino. His disappointment was evident. “Call me if you change your mind.”

“I hope you find a solution to your problem, Dino. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you the way you wanted.”

Dino just nodded and Prompto got out of the car. He sighed, watching Dino drive away, and began limping to the lobby of the apartment building. He ignored the looks of the concierge personnel and made his way to the elevators, urgently pressing the call button. He was beginning to feel lightheaded again and hoped that he could at least make it to his apartment's door. He ended up making it back safely, trying to minimize the noise as he walked into the apartment. It was silent; Gladio and Iris were still in bed.

He stopped at Iris’ room and peeked in. Iris was sleeping soundly in the middle of her bed, face smashed in a pillow and blankets thrown haphazardly. Prompto smiled, then hobbled towards Gladio’s room and quietly entered. The sun was up, shining through barely cracked blinds and casting thin golden stripes on his dark wood floor. Prompto made his way to Gladio’s bed. His back was turned and his breathing was steady and Prompto figured he was still asleep. Prompto climbed into the bed, tucking himself underneath the thick comforter and scooting closer to press himself against Gladio.

“Still alive, eh?” His voice was gravely and still sleepy.

Prompto nodded against Gladio’s neck. He wrapped his arm around Gladio’s bare torso as he felt an unexpected rush of emotion. He was so glad to hear his voice again.

“Yeah.”

Gladio turned around to face Prompto.

“So, can I call you Vampire Hunter P now?” Gladio smiled, then stopped as he saw Prompto’s face. “Prompto, what’s wrong?”

“I…” He closed his eyes. “Meeting him was just…I should have listened to you. I wasn’t ready and I shouldn’t have gone. I feel weird. It’s like he’s still around.” He opened his eyes and looked back at Gladio. “He has me feeling some type of way, and it’s not good.”

“Are you okay? I’ve never seen you like this before.”

“I’m not sure.” Prompto leaned into Gladio again and dug his face deeper into his neck. His voice was muffled. “Noctis wants me to meet him again.”

“Noctis?”

“The strigoi.”

“He has a name?”

“Yes. He looks human and like he’s our age. He wants me to meet him in the Myrlwood to fight for real. I’m going to go when I’m ready.”

“As if last night wasn’t real?” Gladio sat up, pulling away from Prompto. “You look like shit, Prompto. What happened?”

“Pitioss was a bitch, and Noctis was an even bigger bitch.” Prompto tried to smile, but his head started to throb again. It reminded him of right before Noctis began speaking directly into his mind. Prompto began to feel frantic, but the throbbing subsided. “I just…I’m punching above my weight.”

“So, why the fuck would you go to the Myrlwood?” Gladio shook his head. “Prompto, you don’t make any sense.”

“I know,” groaned Prompto. He flopped on his back and looked up at the ceiling. “But, I need to. He told me to meet him there and I don’t want him coming here, looking for me. I don’t want him doing anything to you and Iris.”

“How would he find us?”

“Gladio, he’s a vampire.” Prompto didn’t mention anything about his suspicions that Noctis was already tracking him. “Anything is possible.”

Gladio continued to look at Prompto, slightly frustrated.

“I’m not going to be able to talk you out of it, huh?”

“Nope.”

Gladio lifted a hand to tuck some of Prompto’s hair behind his ear. Prompto turned his head to look at him.

“You said you would support me no matter what, regardless of what I decide to do, remember? You never said it had to make sense.”

Gladio smiled.

“That I did.”

Prompto pulled him down and closer. He tentatively kissed Gladio, lips just barely grazing his. When Gladio didn’t move away, Prompto moved slowly and used feather-light pressure before he locked lips with him, sweeping the tip of his tongue over his lower lip and sliding it into in his mouth. Their tongues moved together and Gladio kissed Prompto deeper, bringing a hand to cradle his face. They broke the kiss and Gladio smiled again.

“It’s been a while,” said Gladio.

“Yeah,” Prompto whispered and tried to resume the kiss. Gladio pulled away.

“I don’t think this is a good time, Prompto.”

Prompto sighed and let go of Gladio.

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry. I would love to continue. But...I just think you should get some rest.”

Prompto nodded, sitting up. Gladio looked concerned when he winced.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Prompto got up from the bed and took a few steps before a knee gave out and he fell to the floor. He hissed, then shrieked as his head suddenly began throbbing almost as bad as it did in Pitioss. Gladio gasped and jumped out of bed, hauling Prompto up like he was a rag doll. Prompto wrapped an arm around Gladio, clutching a shoulder.

“Fuck! Prompto!”

Prompto screamed again and could distantly hear Iris run from her room and into Gladio’s. He felt a rolling sensation within his head as his brain felt like it was splitting itself in two.

“Prompto!” Iris ran to him, struggling to sling his other arm around her shoulders. “Gladio, what’s going on?”

Prompto sagged between Gladio and Iris, moaning incoherently, then screamed once more as he heard a familiar voice.

_Why are you talking shit?_

“No,” Prompto whined, rolling his head. “Go away.”

“Who is he talking to Gladdy?” Iris was starting to sound scared.

“I think it’s the strigoi…”

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know.” Gladio thought for a moment. “Let’s just bring him into his room for now. Let go, Iris, I have him.” Gladio pulled Prompto closer and walked him to his room, Iris following closely behind.

_Gladio caught on quick. He’s not as dumb as he looks._

Prompto moaned again, but was unable to respond.

_I saw you kissing him. Is he your boyfriend? I don’t even think you know if he is or not._

“Fuck…you…”

_Rude, as always. When are you going to meet me in the Myrlwood?_

“As soon…as I can,” Prompto whispered and Gladio laid him down on the bed.

_You’d better get some rest then. I’m not going to hold back. One of us will perish in the Myrlwood and I have a feeling it won’t be me. Later._

Prompto felt the pain diminish, then return with force.

_Oh, I forgot. I saw that you deleted my photo. That was sweet, but don’t think that will make me show you any mercy._

Prompto screamed again as he felt a sucking feeling, followed by a loud puckering sound that seemed to be directly against his ear drums. Gladio and Iris could only watch with terror as Prompto continued to scream and his body violently thrashed against his bed. He rolled around, clutching his head, yelling in pain.

“Gladio, help him!” Iris was starting to cry.

“I don’t know what to do!”

Prompto moaned loudly then sagged into the mattress, face down and unmoving. Iris gasped and Gladio reached for him but Prompto moaned again before Gladio could touch him. Prompto turned onto his back and threw an arm over his eyes.

“Damn,” he croaked out.

Iris squeaked and sniffed and rushed over to the bed. She kneeled by its side and grabbed Prompto’s free hand.

“Let’s get him into the tub,” said Gladio.

Iris drew Prompto a bath as Gladio undressed his limp body and carried him into the bathroom. Prompto grunted as he was carefully lowered into the water and chuckled faintly.

“You…always…run the bath too hot, Iris.”

She bathed him in silence and Gladio leaned against the sink, looking at Prompto unhappily.

“Gladio,” said Iris, looking back at him. “This isn’t good.”

“I know.”

The siblings dressed Prompto and put him into bed. After he fell asleep almost instantly, Iris turned to Gladio, angry.

“I don’t know what happened last night,” she said, poking a finger into Gladio’s chest. “But you’d better not let him go after this monster again.”

“Iris, you know he’s going to do what he wants to do. I can’t stop him.”

“Well then you’re just as stupid as he is!” Iris yelled and stomped out of the room. Gladio sighed heavily and looked back at Prompto.

“Shit can never be easy with you, can it?”

***

Noctis was floating within his lair, feeling pleased with himself. He had toyed with Prompto once again and felt rejuvenated. It had been so long since he had harassed anyone. But, as he continued to think about Prompto, he began to question why exactly he was toying with him in the first place; why he was letting him live. He knew of his location. He could easily make a night call to the apartment that he shared with the Amicitias and show all three of them what happens when you venture into his lair uninvited. Still, he hesitated.

He flew to a little alcove within one of the walls and tried to sleep, but couldn’t. He kept thinking about Prompto and remembered when he stood over his frozen body, debating whether or not to crush his chest with his boot. Noctis could smell his fear, but he also smelled excitement. It created an odd combination that Noctis had never detected before and it fascinated him. He was perplexed by Prompto as much as he was angered by him. Prompto was young and brash, but still knew his boundaries to a certain extent. He had a sense of balance to his methods and was different from all the previous hunters Noctis had dealt with. He was strange.

“What a weirdo.”

Perhaps it was the fascination that convinced Noctis to let him live. He wanted to see how everything would play out. It had been almost twenty years since he had last encountered a human. Noctis found himself craving basic interaction with someone in addition to a good fight. There was no doubt that Prompto would meet him in the Myrlwood. He just hoped that the meeting would be soon.

***

“Good evening, my loves.”

Prompto walked slowly into the kitchen. It was late and Gladio and Iris had spent the entire day checking on Prompto. Now, they were beginning to prepare dinner. Iris whipped around from the refrigerator, almost dropping the milk.

“Prompto!” She put the milk down on the counter and ran to him, hugging him hard before she gasped. “Oh no, that wasn’t too hard, was it?”

Prompto shook his head and kissed her forehead.

“No.”

Gladio turned on the stove before looking at Prompto and grinning.

“I’m glad you’re awake, because I have to yell at you some more.”

“Ugh.” Prompto sat on a stool by the large kitchen island in the middle of the room. “Let me go back to sleep. Shit.”

“Okay, but seriously,” Iris chimed in. “What happened, Prompto?”

Prompto recounted the entire excursion from the time that he left the apartment to the time that he returned. Prompto was surprised that Gladio didn’t say anything, but Iris was more vocal. She began admonishing Prompto, face growing red.

“Prompto, you’re such a dumbass! What the hell do you think you’re doing with this monster? You can’t go to the Myrlwood!”

“I have to.” Prompto shifted on the stool, then smiled at her. “Oh, yeah. Regarding your earlier question, I think he is.”

Iris was confused.

“What?”

“You wondered if he was cute. I think you would consider him to be. Maybe I can get you a nice picture when I see him next.”

“Damn it!”

“Just stop, Iris,” said Gladio. “You’ve lost. We both have.”

“Yes, you guys have, so let’s stop wasting time and let’s start formulating a plan.”

Iris frowned, sitting down in a chair at the kitchen table and crossing her arms.

“Oooh, Prompto. I want to spit in your food, so bad.”

“I wish you would, because it would taste so sweet.” He blew her a kiss. “Seriously though, I didn’t have a plan last night. I’ll make sure I go to the Myrlwood with one.”

“Maybe we can go to the Malmalam Thicket and see if Kimya Auburnbrie can create something that will prevent Noctis from getting inside your head,” suggested Gladio.

The thought of visiting Kimya, an exiled Meldacio Hunter and rumored witch, to see if she could craft a helpful potion didn’t even cross Prompto’s mind.

“Hell, yeah. Good idea, Gladio.” Prompto drummed his hands against the counter. “See? Teamwork, baby! What can go wrong?”

Both Gladio and Iris rolled their eyes.

“Now that you’ve said that,” said Gladio. “Everything, dummy.”

***

After dinner, Prompto returned to his room. He stared at his cellphone that was sitting on a nightstand as he debated something. He looked at it for a long time before he sighed and reached for it. He navigated through his recent calls and clicked on a name. It rang a few times before Prompto got an answer.

“Hello?”

“Dino.”

“Prompto?” Dino wasn’t expecting the call, at all. “Hey! How are you doing?”

“I’m okay, thanks. Listen, before you say anything, we need to lay down some ground rules regarding our…partnership. You run stories about Noctis without locations or pictures or you don’t run them at all. I don’t want any wannabes trying to hunt him on their own because they will die, without a doubt.”

“Noctis?” Dino asked. “Oh, fuck, you got his name?”

Prompto cursed internally. He didn’t mean to say that.

“Yeah, man. Add it to the list of things you can’t mention in your articles. I’ll back you up regarding the accuracy of your stories. Like I said to you earlier, I’ll give you interviews if that’s what you need.”

“Okay, okay. I swear I won’t report anything without running it by you first.” Dino sounded excited, but paused. “Why did you call me, Prompto? What changed your mind?”

“Because…” Prompto smirked a little. “You’re a good guy, Dino. Annoying sometimes, but good. You’re just trying to make a living in a world that is constantly working against you. Like I was, once. I told you I would help, so I’m trying to help. But, we need to establish some boundaries.”

“Boundaries, yep, got it. I’m so glad you changed your mind. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’ll call you back with more information when I can.”

They hung up and Prompto placed his phone back on his nightstand, hoping his decision to help wouldn’t bite him in the ass, later.

***

The following day, Prompto said goodbye to Gladio and Iris once more.

“Please come home,” she whispered, clutching to him.

“I promise.”

When Gladio hugged him, Prompto placed a soft kiss to the side of his neck. Gladio cleared his throat.

“Tell Kimya I said hey,” he said, pulling away. “Are you sure you’re ready?”

Prompto nodded.

“The drive to Malmalam will take me most of the day. I’ll camp there, then head to the Myrlwood tomorrow. I’ve been drinking some cure potions. I’ll be fine and I’ll see you soon. I love you guys.”

Gladio and Iris returned the sentiment and Prompto grabbed a small backpack and left. By the time he got to the forests near Malmalam Thicket, he was hungry and his butt had fallen asleep. He didn’t stop much along the way; he had barely stopped for gas. He was trying to see Kimya as soon as he could. If she could make something that would help prevent Noctis from invading his mind, Prompto wanted it immediately. However, Noctis hadn’t tried to enter Prompto's mind since the day before and that made Prompto very suspicious.

When Prompto got to her hut deep in the woods and explained the situation, Kimya laughed at him.

“Not you, too. Jeez. Gladio says hi, by the way.”

“Foolish, this is,” said Kimya. “But, help, I will.”

She gave him her best attempts at creating a potion that would essentially scramble Prompto’s thoughts, making them unable to be read. Each potion only lasted about thirty minutes, and he had received six of them. He hoped the fight wouldn’t last that long, regardless of who the victor was.

“Noise is all he’ll hear. Maybe.” She thrusted a sack containing the potions into Prompto’s hands. “Good luck.”

Prompto left Kimya’s, then camped nearby. He sat by a paltry fire, taking swigs from a cure potion as he began loading and unloading his pistol repeatedly, timing his reloads. He tried to refine his battle plan and was making progress until a scary, insidious thought made its presence known in his mind. For a millisecond, he envisioned turning the pistol onto himself. He paused mid-reload and slowly set down his weapon.

“Oh, man.” He rubbed his face and looked up at the sky. He was shaken. He’d never, ever thought about suicide before, no matter how hopeless he had felt. But, the most disturbing thing was that he didn’t know if the thought was truly his or someone else’s. He didn’t know which one was scarier.

“Fuck you, Noctis.”

***

Noctis was pleased. Prompto was on his way to the Myrlwood and it was sooner than he expected. He had resisted speaking to Prompto -- he didn’t want him crashing, after all -- and assessed that he was currently somewhere near the Malmalam Thicket. Noctis had been successfully tracking him since he left Insomnia until he was about three miles away from Malmalam. That was about where Noctis lost him. He figured that meddlesome witch or whatever she was that was perched just outside the thicket had come up with some kind of barrier that was blocking his tracking abilities. The barrier was weak, but it was just enough to confuse Noctis and knock him off track. She had been fucking with him for a few years now but, truthfully, beating up old ladies wasn’t Noctis’ style. He would let her continue to think that her potions and spells ultimately made a difference. It didn’t matter to him.

Noctis went to sleep that night with an unusual fluttering sensation deep in his stomach. The feeling was akin to when he was a child and was forced to go to sleep the night before the Great Healer celebrations in Solheim, more than 2,000 years ago. He assumed what he was feeling was overwhelming anticipation. He had almost forgotten how it felt. He didn’t know why he was so excited to see the skinny hunter whose hair looked like a chocobo’s ass, but he was. He believed he was excited because he might actually be challenged in a battle for once. At least, that was what he kept telling himself.

***

Prompto didn’t sleep much. When he did sleep, he slept outside with no blanket and used his backpack as a pillow. He could have slept in his car, but he felt safer near Kimya’s hut in the woods. He also felt like shit and wanted nothing other than to be back home, but he packed up his things and continued his trip. He estimated that it would take him about six hours to get to the Myrlwood, maybe eight if he drove slow. That would place him anywhere between 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. if he didn’t stop. It was way earlier than he wanted to be, but his early arrival could possibly be used to his advantage. He could drink one of Kimya’s concoctions and use the extra time to scout the forest and analyze terrain and vantage points. Maybe he would try to get more rest, too.

Prompto tried to waste time at the Burbost Souvenir Emporium outpost, which would be the last outpost he would encounter before reaching the Myrlwood. It was a bad idea because idly wandering around always caused Prompto’s brain to work in overdrive, which never resulted in anything nice or productive. He grabbed something to eat from the small shop then got back on the road. Just as the sky was starting to transition to the deep orange glow of sunset, he arrived at the edge of the Vesperpool. He parked his car and forced himself to get out, stuffing the potions in his backpack and slinging it around a shoulder. He walked slowly to the entrance of the Myrlwood and hesitated. He tried to accept the fact that he would most likely not emerge from the woods, prior to him walking in. Prompto may have been ambitious, but he was also realistic. There was absolutely no chance of him winning this fight. After standing still for a moment, he sighed and entered the forest.

He didn’t bother with taking a potion and scouting. He had been to the Myrlwood a few times and had a general idea of the terrain. Even if he didn’t, nothing he would accomplish prior to Noctis showing up would make a difference anyway. He sat down in the grass, leaning against a large tree, with his pistol in hand. He did nothing but stare into the distance for quite some time as he tried to collect his thoughts but failed to do so. Getting up, he grabbed his backpack and moved to sit on a large rock, watching the light that was filtering through the forest canopy turn from orange to the soft blue of dusk’s half-light. He set his pistol down on the rock began digging in his backpack for the snacks he bought at Burbost while also trying to figure out where he would put Kimya’s potions for easy access. He settled for the front pockets of his vest and stuffed one in each breast pocket; they had barely fit. Prompto didn’t think that he would need more than two before he died. He didn’t really think that there was any point to the potions at all, but he didn’t want Kimya’s work to go to waste. He munched on some chips and beat the heels of his boots against the rock as he continued to watch the light grow darker. His vision was starting to become impaired and he wished that he had thought to grab some night vision goggles. It was a ridiculous thought because, like everything else he had at his disposal, he was almost certain that they wouldn’t make a difference. Prompto was beyond fucked -- the Master Hunter was finally out of his league -- and he was astonished by how quickly he had painted himself into a corner. He felt his eyes begin to sting.

He looked at his pistol. It was still on the rock, next to him. He kept looking and his hand inched closer to it. Out of nowhere, pain seared through his head as if he just got a right hook to the temple and he cried out, reeling back.

_Nope._

Prompto’s pistol suddenly flew off the rock and into the darkness. Prompto tried to reach after it, but only managed to fall off the rock and into the grass.

_You’re not used to me being in your head by now?_

Prompto hauled himself up and inhaled deeply so he could yell as loud as he could.

“Fuck. You. Fuck you, fuck you, FUCK YOU!”

_Maybe later. Right now, though, we need to fight._

Prompto was suddenly jerked forward was pulled into the night, like his pistol. He landed in a clearing. He spun around, trying to locate Noctis, and grabbed a large knife that was strapped to a thigh. He heard Noctis snicker before the knife effortlessly flew out of his hand. Prompto still spun around, frantically trying to spot Noctis, but only managed to become overwhelmed by the disorienting nature of the darkness. His heart began to beat as hard as the throbbing in his head and he felt dizzy.

“Man,” said Noctis somewhere behind him. “Let me talk normally so you don’t pass out before we even get started.”

Prompto closed his eyes, relishing the feeling of the throbbing quickly fading to a dull ache. He turned to face Noctis who was swinging the pistol along a finger by its trigger guard.

“Looking for this? I don’t think it will be very effective in a fight against me, as is.” Noctis waved his free hand in front of the pistol. It was suddenly bathed in a shimmering, whitish-blue glow. It then disappeared from his hand and materialized in Prompto’s shooting hand. “That should do it.”

Prompto looked at his gun, wide eyed. The glow had subdued substantially, but he could still see a haze surrounding the pistol. He looked at Noctis.

“What have you done?”

“Consider it a gift from me, to you. It wouldn’t be much of a challenge if none of your bullets hit me. So, come on.” Prompto saw the glow again as a large sword appeared in one of Noctis’ hands. Noctis pointed it at him. “Let’s fight.”


	3. Bloodlust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto and Noctis battle it out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a chapter where Prompto tries to whoop that trick Noctis. It is also a chapter where he gets a little ~handsy~ with Gladio and Noctis attempts to deal with his crazy feelings. Also, this is when the sexual content starts in the story and it will ~~probably~~ increase from here, but so will the angst.
> 
> Enjoy!

Prompto gripped his pistol tight and pointed it at Noctis.

“Well, come on then.”

Noctis lifted his sword and began running towards Prompto. Prompto took a step back and gripped his pistol with both hands, trying to steady his aim. He was about to pull the trigger when Noctis warped and disappeared about four feet away from him. Prompto transitioned from concentrating on offense to defense and tried to ignore the fear that was rapidly rising from within. Once again, he blindly spun around in the clearing trying to find Noctis and failed. He stopped for a moment to reassess the situation and felt a sharp pain at the base of his neck. Noctis had hit him hard with the pommel of his sword, causing Prompto to fall over onto his hands and knees.

“That was stupid,” said Noctis.

Prompto rolled onto his back and out of the way just in time to see the sword sink into the ground, penetrating the earth that he had been kneeling over just moments before. He tried to scoot away from Noctis, who smoothly removed the sword from the dirt and began slashing in his direction. He continued to crawl backwards but couldn’t move fast enough, then tried to get up on his feet but his legs felt boneless. Noctis was narrowing the gap between them quickly and Prompto could hear the whistle of the sword as it cut through the air and considered it to be the sound of his imminent doom.

“Get up.” Another swing, another fortunate miss. “Get up! Fight me!”

Prompto was becoming paralyzed by panic. Noctis was simply too fast for him to get back up on his feet. The feeling of defeat that Prompto had become so acquainted with over the past few days was returning. He was only prolonging the inevitable as he continued to crawl and roll around and was about to stop struggling. But, he began thinking of Gladio and Iris and their memories persisted in his mind. He figured that he owed it to them to at least try and survive.

He removed one of Kimya’s potions from his vest pocket, pulling the cork out with his teeth and gulping it down before Noctis could stop him. Noctis looked confused as he watched Prompto drink, but the confusion shifted to a look of triumph and slight frustration as he stood over Prompto, adjusting his grip on his sword so he could impale instead of swing.

“You disappoint me.”

He lifted his arms and aimed the sword at Prompto’s chest. Prompto took a deep breath and held it as he kicked his right leg out, effectively sweeping Noctis’ left leg from underneath him. Prompto’s heart skipped. He immediately realized that he miscalculated the angle of his leg’s impact and hit Noctis in a way that would make him fall forwards instead of backwards. He hoped that Noctis would do what everyone else did when faced with an unexpected fall forward. Noctis yelped as he fell, letting go of the sword with his left hand and throwing it aside with his right hand, palms open, as he tried to brace for the fall. Prompto exhaled, relieved, but the relief was short-lived as Noctis’ full weight fell on top of Prompto and they both grunted. Noctis’ body covered Prompto’s and the two squirmed against each other, trying to get up before the other one did. Prompto stopped trying to get up and grabbed Noctis’ shirt instead, flipping them over so he was on top. He assumed that Noctis was still caught off guard since he hadn’t warped out from underneath him but reconsidered that assumption. Knowing him, it was simply yet another one of his games. Either way, Prompto took advantage of the situation and began punching Noctis, trapping his body with his legs as he delivered several blows to the face.

“You suck!” Prompto smiled a little bit; no pun intended.

He punched Noctis a few more times, then ran off to the outside of the clearing to hide behind trees. He peeked from behind a tree and watched as Noctis sat up slowly, rubbing at his face and looking at the blood. Prompto couldn’t see his facial expression but, based on his body language, it appeared that Noctis was surprised. Noctis got on his feet and began looking around. Prompto moved behind the tree again, heart racing. He turned around to lean against the trunk, his head making a dull thump against the wood as he looked up at the leaves. He moved his hand to his hip to grab his pistol but, when it wasn’t there, Prompto felt his fear return tenfold. He looked out from behind the tree again, doing a quick scan within the clearing. He figured he left it somewhere when he was fleeing from Noctis. He could see a small white-blue illumination in the grass about 50 feet away. Noctis was still in the clearing, slowly wandering around as if he were lost and continuing to wipe at the blood from his nose. Prompto couldn’t believe it; Kimya’s potion appeared to be working.

Regardless, Prompto didn’t have enough faith in Noctis’ injured state and the potion to the point where he felt comfortable venturing back out directly into the clearing to get his gun. Noctis was walking near the pistol and Prompto would be unable to avoid him if he went straight across the clearing. Noctis may have looked hurt, but that didn’t really mean anything.

 _He’s a vampire,_ thought Prompto. _He probably has some super regenerative bullshit going on and is just toying with me._

Prompto figured he could make his way around the clearing, but that would take longer and he didn’t want to waste any time. If the potions really were working, he wanted to use every second of protection wisely. He sighed, not knowing what to do, and punched the tree trunk.

“I want my gun.”

He jumped when he saw his fist begin to shimmer. He pulled it away from the tree and held his hand open as it continued to glow. He could feel it grow heavy with the weight of his pistol and tried to prevent a squeal of delight from sneaking out when it fully materialized in his hand.

“Fuck yeah,” Prompto whispered and smiled. He kissed the pistol’s barrel before thumbing back the hammer and emerging from behind the tree.

***

Noctis was walking around the clearing, confused. He didn’t really understand how Prompto managed to injure him the way that he did. He assumed that Prompto’s sudden courage and strength had something to do with the potion that he consumed. Noctis thought it would be just another example of amateur hour garbage created by Kimya, but it was actually working. He had no idea where Prompto was; he couldn’t read his thoughts. All Noctis heard was some kind of white noise. It was surrounding him completely and making him increasingly anxious and unsettled.

He continued to meander, wiping at the blood that was freely flowing from his face. Blood was flowing from his eyes, his nose, his mouth, from so many places and at such a rate that it was shocking. Prompto had a pretty good punch. Noctis couldn’t remember when the last time any mortal had made him bleed in such a way. He couldn’t remember when any mortal had actually managed to get close enough to injure him, period. Probably never. He ran his tongue along his lips and, as he tasted the blood that painted them, his anxiety began to subside and give way to pleasure. He couldn’t wait to see what the little asshole had in store for him, next.

Taking a deep breath, Noctis tried to regain his composure and look for Prompto again. He needed to find him at once. He wanted to feel Prompto squirm underneath him once more but, this time, as a result of him draining his life. Maybe. Despite his bloodlust, Noctis couldn’t prevent his mind from replaying the scuffle between the two of them and viewing it in a different light. It had been years since Noctis had really touched anyone, in any sense. He thought about the feeling of Prompto’s hard body twisting and rubbing against him and was sickened when he felt a strange feeling emerge from his chest and make its way down to the depths of his stomach. He wiped some more blood off of his face and summoned his sword back into his hand.

“Focus, Noctis.”

He tried to find Prompto and enter his mind again. He was still unable to do so, but he did notice that the noise level was diminishing. Noctis presumed that there was a correlation between the mind block and the noise and that the noise was created by the potion. As a result, he also assumed that the potion was wearing off. That provided a new sense of motivation for him and he gripped his sword tighter, swinging it up to brandish it.

“Come on, Prompto,” Noctis taunted. “That was subpar. I know you can do better.”

There was no answer and Noctis was going to taunt him again when the sound of Prompto's pistol cracked through the air. He winced and dropped his sword, his hand clutching his upper left arm. The arm was burning and Noctis realized that there was a bullet lodged in it. As he heard another gunshot and he felt pain in the back of a knee, Noctis regretted ever enchanting the pistol. He was too confident and thought that he would kill Prompto before he would ever get a chance to use it. He fell to the ground, grunting. His body began to regenerate immediately, but the enhanced bullets slowed the overall process and his arm and knee throbbed with pain.

“Was that good enough for you?” Prompto yelled from behind the trees. “Are we done here? I’d like to go home soon.”

Noctis gritted his teeth as he felt himself continue to heal. His body was slowly and painfully pushing the bullets out and it was an odd feeling. He grabbed his sword and stood back up as soon as he felt his knee would support him.

“Show yourself so I can kill you, if you want to be done so badly.”

***

Prompto sighed. There would be no end to this fight.

“You’re pretty hell bent on killing me.” Prompto began to circle the clearing. “Which, whatever. But you could have killed me by now. You’re either toying with me or making sloppy mistakes. Why are you dragging this out?”

Noctis considered the question for a moment.

“I’m bored. I want a challenge,” he admitted. “You’re the best mortal challenger I’ve had. No one has ever lasted more than seconds.”

“You don’t say? I’m flattered.”

“You should be,” said Noctis as he walked, dragging his sword behind him in the grass. “So come out and face me again.” He paused. He could hear the noise inside Prompto’s head continue to diminish and he wanted to keep him distracted. “Why are you a hunter?”

“Huh?”

“Why do you hunt?”

“Because it’s what I was born to do,” replied Prompto without hesitation. Noctis liked his conviction. “Why are you a vampire?”

“Because I made a foolish choice.” For a moment, his voice sounded full of regret. “But, that’s a story for another time. If I let you live.”

“Will you?”

“No,” answered Noctis. There was a break in the noise and Prompto’s thoughts flashed briefly. If Noctis had a few more seconds, he would be able to enter his mind. “I won’t, sorry. I guess you’ll never hear my story.”

Prompto was tired of playing games. He was past trying to struggle to survive and wanted to bring things to an end, even if it resulted in his death. He gripped his pistol and emerged from behind the trees, spiriting towards Noctis. Noctis was unmoving and had his back turned and Prompto should have known that he was planning something. Prompto’s stride faltered momentarily as Noctis warped out of his view, but he continued to sprint across the clearing. He decided to say fuck it and just run back into the trees and try to make it back to the entrance of the Myrlwood. He knew he wouldn’t make it, but at least he gave it a shot.

He had made a considerable distance between him and the clearing when he felt pain between his eyebrows. It began as a pin prick but swelled into something overwhelming and he moaned. He forgot about the time limit of Kimya’s potion and knew that Noctis was trying to get into his head again. His head felt like it was going to crack open and he tried to reach up and grab the other potion bottle, but the pain swelled and he wanted to vomit. He collapsed to the ground.

_Going somewhere?_

Prompto’s body was dragged through the trees and back to the clearing. Noctis was standing in the middle, arms crossed.

_Did you really think you could outrun me? You obviously don’t learn from your previous mistakes._

“Please…” Prompto sat up. “Not this again.”

His body was abruptly lifted from the ground and thrown into a large tree. Prompto crumbled against the trunk and Noctis warped in front of him, grabbing him up by the throat with one hand as if he were weightless. Prompto felt the tree bark scrape against his back as he was lifted further up, feet dangling in the air. Noctis’ hand tightened even more around his throat. Prompto’s eyes were wide open, but unfocused, and his vision was darkening. Noctis grabbed him with both hands and began pushing on his larynx with his thumbs.

“Is this the end?” Noctis asked, pushing harder. “Should I kill you now? I can make your head pop off of your neck.”

Noctis squeezed even harder and Prompto gagged, body going limp. He closed his eyes and waited to die, but Noctis let go. Prompto gasped loudly and could barely register what was happening before he was thrown in the middle of the clearing again. He lay on the ground, struggling for breath. Noctis slowly walked over to him and stood over Prompto, his feet planted on either side of Prompto’s lower legs.

“This is a familiar position.” Noctis smiled. “Shall I crush your chest? What about your face? Or should I summon my sword and finally impale your heart?”

Prompto took another deep breath and looked at him.

“You should…eat shit.”

Prompto’s leg moved back as he pulled his knee close to his chest. He tapped into his reserves of strength as he thrust his leg up and forward. His foot landed square on Noctis’ crotch, hard. Noctis released a high-pitch squeak, then a loud moan as he fell backwards and rolled around in pain. Prompto sat up on his elbows and watched as Noctis continued to cry out and twist his body into the fetal position.

“Nobody’s immune to a kick in the balls, dude.”

Prompto lay back down in the grass. He was exhausted. Noctis writhing in pain allowed him to try and calm his breathing and collect his thoughts. He didn’t know where he would go from here; didn’t know if Noctis would still try to fight him. He wanted nothing more than to be in his car and head back home to the people he loved and his nice, comfy bed. He sat up fully and rubbed at his swollen, burning throat.

“Can this please end? Stop trying to prove whatever point you’re trying to make, Noctis.” Prompto coughed, flinching as pain shot down his spine. “I know you can kill me at any time. I don’t want any more trouble. I won’t ever bother you again.”

Noctis didn’t respond. He remained in the fetal position, unmoving, and the two sat in silence for a while. Prompto was the one to move first. He got onto his feet and walked back over to the tree that he almost choked to death against. His gun was in the grass, still emitting the glow, and he picked it up. He walked back over to Noctis.

“I’m going now.”

Prompto holstered his pistol. He turned away from Noctis and walked a few feet before his body locked.

“No!”

“Don’t leave yet,” Noctis said weakly. He started crawling towards Prompto, still unable to stand up. Prompto was struggling, but couldn’t budge.

“Let me go!”

“I don’t want to fight.” Noctis sat up. He pushed himself up on his hands, his elbows wobbling a little. “I just want to talk.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I do.”

Prompto felt his body relax and he spun around. Noctis was sitting on the grass and looking at him. His face held no more animosity. He actually looked quite pitiful. Prompto dawdled, but ended up sitting down, crossing his legs and glaring.

“I’m so stupid,” said Prompto. “What do you want?”

***

“I guess…” Noctis hesitated. He didn’t know what exactly he was trying to say. He watched Prompto’s face. He looked pissed, and rightfully so, but he was still on guard and waiting for Noctis to attack him again.

“Look, I’m not going to hurt you.”

It was evident that Prompto didn’t believe him.

“Whatever, man. What do you possibly have to say to me? ‘Fear my power, I let you live another day so I can kill you later, mwah ha ha’? Save your breath. I know.”

Noctis tried to hide a smile. He had enjoyed the past three days. His ennui was fading and he felt like he had a purpose again. He wasn’t lying when he admitted that Prompto was the best human opponent he’d ever encountered. He was captivated by how Prompto could suppress his fear and fight with everything he had, even though he knew it would never be enough. Noctis wanted to draw the battle out as long as he could and not just so he could continue to fight. If he were to be honest with himself, he was beginning to enjoy Prompto’s company.

“I…” Noctis sighed. “I wanted to thank you for taking me up on my challenge. You could have refused, and I would have found you anyway, but you didn’t. That takes courage that very few people have.”

“I don’t need your approval.” Prompto was losing his temper. “And don’t even think about coming after me. Unlike you, I have people that I live with and love. You want to fuck with me, fine, but leave them alone.”

Noctis thought about Gladio and Iris. He felt a strange twinge of jealousy when he recalled Prompto and Gladio kissing yesterday morning. That, on top of Prompto’s dig at him, made Noctis realize how lonely he truly was.

“I know. I just want to let you know that I’m done with this fight. I won’t bother you any longer.”

Prompto’s brow creased. He was doubtful.

“Yeah, okay.”

“Fuck, Prompto, I mean it!”

Noctis didn’t mean to yell, but he wanted to get through to him. He was trying to change his approach and transition from one of a fighter to one of a friend. The idea of him wanting to be a friend with a mortal was ridiculous, but it was something that he wanted to try. Perhaps finding a friend was what he was trying to do all along, that him fighting people was only a means to test them and see if they were worth spending time with.

“I’m sorry,” Noctis continued. “I’m serious though. I actually wanted…” He paused, knowing how stupid he was about to sound. “I wanted to know if you had any interest in visiting me sometimes. Not to fight, I swear.”

Prompto looked at him, dumbfounded. He began to laugh.

“Are you really asking to be my friend?”

Noctis felt his face flush and bit his bottom lip. Prompto stopped laughing, most likely realizing that he probably shouldn’t be laughing at someone who could rip his head off within seconds.

“Yes, that’s what I’m asking.”

***

Prompto wanted to laugh again, but didn’t. He was being a real asshole to the monster that almost choked him to death not even twenty minutes ago. He couldn’t help himself though, the request was so ridiculous. He didn’t know what overcame Noctis to make such a drastic shift. It all seemed too unrealistic.

“Why me, Noctis?”

Noctis couldn’t respond with a verbal answer and just shrugged, looking down at the ground. Prompto felt his lips twitch as he tried not to smile. Noctis looked like a sulky goth kid. Regardless, Prompto got up and thought about the proposal for a minute. Shaking his head, he wondered if there was anyone in the world that made shittier choices than he did. He held out a hand and Noctis looked up.

“Come on then. I have to get my backpack though. I got some bomb ass snacks from Burbost in there.”

Noctis looked at Prompto’s hand, then at his face. He smiled and grabbed his hand and Prompto hauled him up. There was a sound to Prompto’s left and he looked to see Noctis’ sword disappear. They walked together to grab Prompto’s things, Kimya’s potions rattling around in the bag.

“Now that we’re friends, I guess, are you going to be invading my mind still?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.”

“Ugh. Well, just don’t do it when I’m doing…stuff. And, try not to make it hurt so bad. Because, damn.”

Noctis smiled.

“Sure.”

They walked out of the Myrlwood together. Prompto looked up. Seeing the stars again created a sense of relief that was indescribable. He looked at Noctis. He was quiet and impassive and Prompto figured that he would just warp back to Pitioss or wherever he was going, but they continued to walk together. They didn’t speak until they were closer to the Vesperpool.

“I like fishing,” said Noctis out of nowhere.

“What?”

“Fishing. I love it. It’s my favorite hobby and the best thing in the world.”

“Get the hell out of here.” Prompto laughed. “Fishing is such a calm sport. I can’t imagine you liking it.”

“Yeah, well, there’s a lot you don’t know about me. I guess now that I didn’t kill you I can tell you stuff, sometime.”

They walked further along the Vesperpool then Prompto spoke.

“I’m sorry about your balls, dude.”

Noctis shrugged.

“That’s okay. I deserved it.”

The two reached Prompto’s car. They looked at each other before Prompto got in, both feeling awkward. Noctis thrust his hand out.

“Well, bye.” He wiggled a hand a bit and Prompto grabbed it, shaking it. Prompto couldn’t ignore the surrealism of the situation. Noctis’ face was glowing with sudden embarrassment and Prompto almost felt embarrassed himself. “See you later?”

“Yeah, sure.”

Noctis wouldn’t let go and Prompto had to yank his hand out of his grasp, making the both of them more uncomfortable. He got into his car and, when Noctis warped out of his view, he realized that they never set a time or place for their next meeting.

“Really, Prompto? What do you care?”

He had to admit that having a vampire as a friend would be pretty cool though.

***

Prompto took his time driving, drinking Cures and replaying the fight in his mind in a constant loop, trying to analyze it. He believed Noctis when he said he wouldn’t attack again just as much as he would believe Gladio if he said he was giving up Cup Noodles. He was trying to identify Noctis’ vulnerabilities that he had exploited, but Prompto knew that any success he may have had was a result of pure luck.

Along the way, he couldn’t help but stop by Burbost for more snacks. He also visited Kimya again to thank and praise her, in addition to giving her the rest of the gil that he had on him. Prompto made it back home in the afternoon the following day. Gladio and Iris were sitting in the living room in silence, agitation visible on both of their faces. When they heard the door open, Iris sat up in her chair.

“Prompto!” She ran to him as she always did and jumped into his arms, hooking her legs around his waist. He hugged her tight, placing his chin on a shoulder.

“Hey, butthead.”

Gladio had walked up to them and he pulled Prompto into his arms as soon as Iris let him go.

“Are you done with this dick measuring contest?”

“I think so.”

Iris was practically skipping as she made her way to the kitchen to prepare a late lunch. Gladio and Prompto sat close on the couch together in the living room. They smiled at each other.

“I’m really glad to see you, Prompto.”

“I know.” Prompto smiled wider. “I’m glad to see you too, Gladio.”

“What happened?”

“I, uh…” Prompto licked his lips. He was pretty sure that telling Gladio he had a new “friend” wouldn’t go over well. “Well, he pretty much kicked my ass. I injured him too, though, but there’s no way I’ll kill him. Not right now, at least. I don’t know enough about the strigoi legend and if there’s a way to defeat them for good.”

“Don’t you think that’s something you should study so you can kill this thing?”

“Yeah, probably.” Prompto wanted to change the subject. He didn’t like keeping things from Gladio and he would end up telling the truth if he continued to be questioned. “I was thinking about you and Iris while I was gone. It helped me.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Prompto brought his arm up to rest along the back of the couch and ran his fingers along Gladio’s upper back. It didn’t take him long to become aroused by Gladio. Sometimes, he wondered if Gladio thought that he was simply using him and if their friendship was at risk. Prompto hadn’t slept with him in a while because of this, but the adrenaline and multitude of emotions he had been experiencing during the past three days needed a release outside of battle.

Prompto leaned over kissed Gladio, fingers tangling in the back of his hair.

“Is now a good time?” Prompto whispered against his lips. He snaked his tongue into Gladio’s mouth and moved closer to him. Prompto heard Iris still toiling in the kitchen and he quickly swung a leg over Gladio and settled into his lap. Gladio broke the kiss and lifted his hands to try and still Prompto’s hips.

“Prompto,” he whispered, moaning softly as Prompto began grinding against him. “Iris…”

“…is busy.” Gladio’s head fell against the back of the couch and Prompto grabbed his face and pulled his head back up to kiss him again. Gladio placed his hands along Prompto’s lower and middle back and held him closer, kissing eagerly.

“So, is now a good time?” Prompto moved harder and the both of them moaned.

“What if…” Gladio closed his eyes. “What if I said I wasn’t in the mood?”

“Then I’d call you a liar.” Prompto looked at Gladio’s lips and leaned in for another kiss.

_Huh. He is your boyfriend._

Prompto froze, centimeters away from Gladio’s face. Gladio felt the obvious change and opened his eyes, gently pushing Prompto back and frowning.

“Are you okay?” Gladio’s eyes narrowed. “Is it Noctis again?”

Prompto got off of Gladio and nodded. He was surprised at how painless the invasion was and became pissed when he realized that Noctis obviously made him suffer for no reason, before.

“You’re an asshole,” Prompto swore. “Leave me alone!”

 _I thought we were past the hostility?_ A pause. _I’m sorry I interrupted your moment._

“Then go away!”

Hearing the commotion, Iris entered the living room. She looked at Gladio, concerned.

“Gladdy?”

“It’s okay. Just an unwanted visitor,” he said to his sister.

_Unwanted visitor? How rude._

Prompto growled and stood up from the couch.

“Fuck, you are horrible! Leave me alone!”

He stormed off to his room, leaving behind a puzzled Iris. Gladio crossed his arms, frustrated, and Iris looked at him.

“How long is this going to go on, Gladio?”

Gladio shook his head.

“I wish I knew.”

***

Prompto lay on his side in bed, blankly staring at his wall. He had been in his room ever since Noctis talked to him and was not in the mood to interact with anyone. He was mortified about earlier and was unable to face Gladio. He knew he didn’t do anything wrong, but the fact that Noctis insisted on telepathically invading his privacy was embarrassing and infuriating. He rolled onto his stomach, sliding his arms underneath his pillow.

“Jerk.”

His phone vibrated on his nightstand. He grabbed it, unsurprised to see Dino’s name on the caller ID. He silenced the phone, then looked at the clock. It was 11:45 p.m. He put the phone back on the nightstand and sat up to take a shower. He pulled his shirt up and over his head and threw it on a nearby chair when he heard a light tapping at glass doors that led to his balcony. He turned around and looked; there was nothing there.

He continued to undress and was about to pull off his underwear when the tapping returned. It was louder and more insistent and Prompto felt his heart speed up.

_It wasn’t Noctis. It couldn’t be. Please don’t let it be._

Prompto walked over to the doors. The apartment was high up, located on the 9th floor, but Prompto knew that didn’t make a difference.

“He can fly, dummy.”

Prompto opened the doors and stepped out on the balcony, the wind making him shiver. He did a quick glance around and saw nothing. He sighed and rubbed at his face. He was starting to get paranoid and it bothered him. He was hoping it was just a result of sleep deprivation and stress. He turned around and was headed back into his room but paused, feeling a presence behind him.

“Hello.”

Prompto jumped and turned around, seeing Noctis float in front of the balcony.

“You struck me as a briefs guy, but boxer briefs make more sense. Less chafing yet there’s still the element of support.”

“Noctis, what are you doing? Someone is going to see you!” Prompto reached over and grabbed Noctis by the shirt, who made a sound of surprise. “Holy fuck.”

Noctis was pulled into the room. He floated over to Prompto’s bed and sat down. Prompto nodded his head and put his hands on his hips.

“Sure, go ahead,” he said, motioning over to his bed. “By all means.”

“I’m sorry I butted in earlier,” apologized Noctis. That was a lie. “It wasn’t very nice of me.”

“Uh huh,” Prompto began walking around, picking up his clothes to put back on. “Cool. Is that it?”

Noctis watched him. His clothes hid a body that looked better than Noctis thought it would. He was lean, yet muscular, and Noctis watched the muscles contract with his every move. He continued to watch, unnoticed, and when he saw Prompto’s stomach muscles ripple as he pulled his shirt back on, he swallowed hard.

“I…” His throat was dry and he cleared it. “I was wondering if you wanted to go hunting with me sometime this week. I need to feed and I figured it would be less boring with a companion.”

Prompto actually started to think about it. He would have liked to see Noctis try to hunt something other than himself.

“When?”

“Two nights from now. Midnight. I’ll pick a place that’s close to you so you don’t have to drive far.”

“How considerate.” Prompto looked at Noctis and sighed. “Lemme know the place soon, yeah? Just make sure you don’t interrupt any more important moments.”

Noctis felt his heart twist with jealousy again but smiled anyway.

“I promise. See you later.”

He warped out of the room and Prompto jumped once more. He groaned and threw himself onto his bed, rolling on his back and looking at the ceiling.

“What a pain in the ass.”

***

Noctis was back in Pitioss, feeling dumber than ever. He couldn’t believe that he went to Prompto’s apartment but he felt an uncontrollable need to do so, even though he knew it wasn’t wise. He had been thinking about him ever since they parted ways at the Vesperpool and had started tracking him after he got back on the road. He saw what kind of snacks he liked; he would have to try to stop by Burbost and get some for him. He would still be able to pass as a human as long as he remained some far-fetched legend to the people of Eos and it didn’t seem like Prompto was going to try and publish his picture any time soon. He also saw him interact with Kimya and thank her for the potions. During the fight, Noctis had decided that he was going to kill her after all due to her aiding Prompto, but there was really no need anymore.

He could have done without seeing Prompto with Gladio. He tried to wonder what Prompto saw in him, but it wasn’t hard to figure it out. Gladio was handsome, strong, smart, and kind. Noctis hated him. The only reason why he hadn’t ripped Gladio’s heart out by now is because he knew it would absolutely devastate Prompto. Noctis floated into his alcove, pouting. He knew they had slept together before. They moved with a familiarity that only old lovers have. He wondered if Prompto had also slept with Iris. They were extremely close and he questioned if it was more than a brotherly and sisterly bond.

He lay down and made a fruitless effort to try and go to sleep. His voice bounced off the walls of the alcove as he started laughing at his silly infatuation. He hadn’t felt such strong feelings that didn’t involve killing, sadness, or rage in so long; it had probably been over two centuries ago. He wasn’t sure when he began to feel attracted to Prompto or why, exactly. All he knew is that he was and he would try to spend as much time as he could with him.

Noctis began thinking about their fight. He had been so impressed with Prompto and he found his confidence and determination very appealing. Prompto deserved his Alleyway Jack status more than anyone in the world. He thought about all the times that he felt Prompto’s sweaty body struggle against his and felt warmth creep down his cheeks to his shirtless chest. His mind shifted to Prompto’s room and his almost naked body and Noctis’ stomach fluttered. He slid his hand slowly up his thigh and to the drawstring of his sleep pants.

He pulled his hand away. He flipped onto his stomach and shut his eyes tight, but he could feel his erection stubbornly push against his abdomen.

“Well, at least it still works.”

Groaning, he turned on his back again and pulled at the drawstring. He loosened the pants and lifted his hips a little to push them down just enough to free himself. Noctis chewed at the inside of his cheek as he felt heat radiate from his cock. He gripped himself and pumped his fist once along his length. He moaned; it was a low, desperate sound and he moved again, feeling a zap to his gut. He jerked off slowly, enjoying the roughness his unlubricated hand created. His chest was beginning to get a sheen of sweat and it was rising and falling rapidly. He took a deep breath and exhaled shakily, moaning again. He could feel his head get foggy as he sped his strokes up more. His chest and stomach ached with arousal in that almost painful way when it was almost at its peak. He quickly brought his palm up to his mouth and spat into it. Having some semblance of lube, Noctis resumed jerking off and began stroking urgently.

“Yes…”

He tightened his grip and moved faster. He clamped his lips tightly together and breathed hard through his nose, lifting his head and watching himself fist his cock. He could feel his abdomen and thighs tingle and he knew he wouldn’t last much longer. He gripped himself even harder and gave his cock one last squeeze around the tip. He leaned back onto the rock of the alcove, his open mouth releasing choked gasps. He pumped two more times and then froze. He held his breath and his toes twitched. Thick streams of cum shot onto his stomach and Noctis screamed, the sound echoing throughout the ruins. He arched his back, whimpering as he felt the last of his orgasm flow out of him.

After he was able to move again, Noctis wiped at his stomach and chest awkwardly. He felt his arousal diminish, which effectively made room for humiliation to sink in. It disturbed him that he could feel so strongly about someone he didn’t even know and who was human, no less, but there was just something different about Prompto. Something so…charming. He sighed. He knew there was no point for him to ruminate over his issues for the time being. He closed his eyes and, this time, he could feel his body grow heavy with sleep. He fell asleep quickly, but not before he had one last thought of Prompto.


	4. The Great Angler

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto and Gladio finally spend some time together and Noctis gains a fishing companion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Prompto finally stops getting cock blocked and Noctis continues to be our lovable, but slightly desperate, emo child. There's sex in this; the updated tags reflect it. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Prompto woke up the next morning feeling like shit. He was hoping that the past two days were some kind of absurd hallucination, but he couldn’t fool himself. He was actually trying to be friends with some kind of supernatural daemon that had an unreasonable vendetta against him, then suddenly transitioned to an even more unreasonable fixation with him. It didn’t make any sense to Prompto, at all, but his life didn’t really make sense a lot of the time. Still, he wondered what the point of continuing to interact with Noctis was and how exactly he was going to deal with the situation moving forward.

“You’ve really done it now, idiot.”

He sat up and on the edge of his bed and grabbed his phone. It was still early, which was good; he wanted to spend some time with Iris and Gladio. He got into the shower and brushed his teeth, wiping at the foggy mirror to look at himself. He was exhausted and distressed. He could barely recognize his face and felt that was the most concerning thing of all.

He got dressed in an old t-shirt and some lounge shorts and made his way to the kitchen. Iris was still in her pajamas and was pouring coffee. Prompto walked up behind her and craned his neck around, kissing her cheek.

“Good morning, sunshine.”

Iris yawned and turned around, leaning against the counter as she sipped her coffee. Prompto thought she looked tired and started to feel bad. He tugged at her robe sleeve.

“What’s wrong?”

She shrugged and put her mug down.

“I’m just worried about you. It keeps me up at night.”

Prompto went from feeling bad to feeling horrible. He grabbed her arms and ran his hands along them, then gave her a quick kiss on her nose.

“Don’t worry about me. I think I’ll be able to handle Noctis.”

Iris looked at him.

“We’ll see, Prompto.” She gently broke free of his grasp. “Do you want breakfast?”

“No thanks. I’m gonna go see what Gladio is doing.” He gave her another kiss. “Please don’t worry about me.”

She smiled but didn’t respond and began to gather items for breakfast. Prompto felt his stomach drop but decided to give her space. He made his way to Gladio’s room. The door was half open and Prompto could see him sitting on his bed, shirtless and reading a book.

“Knock, knock,” said Prompto, pushing the door open more. “May I come in?”

“Sure.” Gladio didn’t look up from his book.

“Ugh, are you pissed off at me too?” Prompto sat down at Gladio’s desk. “Iris doesn’t seem too happy with me right now.”

“No, I’m not.” Gladio closed his book. “I was just engrossed in my reading. I’m trying to study about the strigoi, unlike some people. I want to see if there’s a way we can kill it.”

Prompto smiled, but Gladio’s words about killing Noctis made him feel oddly troubled. He got up and walked to the bed.

“Gladio, you’re the best,” he said, grabbing the book and thumbing through it. He read two sentences, became bored instantly, and snapped the book shut.

“Yes, and the sky is blue.”

“No, really.” Prompto set the book aside and climbed into the bed, next to Gladio. “I’m very grateful to have you in my life.”

Gladio smiled.

“Flattery isn’t needed for people you’ve already slept with.”

“Speaking of which…” Prompto jumped out of bed and walked over to the door, closing it. “You want to pick up where we left off yesterday?”

“I’m not sure we should, with Noctis invading your privacy and all.”

Prompto climbed back in bed, scooting up to Gladio again.

“That’s not what I asked.”

He ran his hand up Gladio’s thigh, leaning over to kiss his neck.

“Is sex all you think about?” Gladio tried to joke but Prompto heard a hitch in his breath. Prompto’s hand had moved from Gladio’s thigh and hovered over his crotch, just barely touching his growing erection. He felt his heat through the thin sweatpants he wore.

“Yeah, probably. Well, that and hunting.” Prompto kissed his neck again, then licked a trail to an ear. “You’re the one not wearing any underwear.”

Gladio gave a low groan as Prompto’s breath tickled his ear and sent shivers down his spine. Prompto began slowly rubbing Gladio, moaning his approval as he felt his erection continue to grow. He hooked an arm around Gladio’s neck and pulled him down for a kiss. They kissed roughly, the two of them trying to release the sexual tension that had accumulated over the past few days. Gladio rolled on top of Prompto and straddled him, trying not to use his full weight. Prompto pulled him down, pressing Gladio’s body against his as he usually did. Prompto loved feeling Gladio’s full weight on top of him as they moved against each other; it turned him on beyond belief. Prompto grabbed Gladio’s ass, pushing him closer. The two moaned as their erections pressed together and Prompto began moving. The thin fabric of their clothes allowed them to feel every inch of each other while providing the perfect amount of friction. Prompto moaned again as Gladio began to move, sinking his hips into Prompto’s and moving slow but firm. Prompto wanted more and attempted to move faster, but Gladio tried to tighten his legs around Prompto in an effort to control the pace.

“You’re so impatient,” said Gladio, tracing Prompto’s lips with his tongue. “Why do you always have to go so fast?”

“I’m not fast where it counts.”

They began to move in sync, gradually picking up the speed. Gladio reached up to grip Prompto’s hair roughly, holding his head in place as he attacked his mouth with his own. Prompto whimpered as Gladio completely dominated his mouth while they continued to grind their cocks together, the thrusts becoming increasingly desperate. Prompto felt something be released inside his chest, flowing through his entire body like warm honey, and closed his eyes.

“Gladio,” he said, breathless. “I’m going to come.”

Gladio snickered.

“I thought you weren’t fast where it counts?”

Gladio gave Prompto another kiss, teeth pulling at lips, before he rolled off of Prompto. They hurriedly pulled off their clothes and Gladio sat up on a mound of pillows against the headboard, taking his cock into his hand as Prompto climbed atop him. They wasted no time. Gladio positioned himself and Prompto slowly sank down on top of him, the two of them crying out as Prompto took him to the hilt. Prompto started moving at a moderate speed, bouncing on Gladio’s dick and grabbing his own, working his hand in fluid strokes.

“Gladio, I…” Prompto was about to say something stupid. He didn’t know why he insisted on ruining the moment with his feelings every time they were together. Gladio already knew what he was trying to say and shook his head.

“Don’t.”

He held Prompto’s face with both hands and pulled him in for a kiss, their lips crushing together as Prompto rode him harder. The kiss was sloppy and passionate and Prompto let go of himself to grab Gladio’s shoulders, then to grab the top of the headboard, gripping it tightly as he began bouncing faster. Gladio stopped his thrusting, allowing Prompto to move at his own, wild pace.

“Faster,” ordered Gladio.

Prompto complied and angled his head down for a kiss. As pleasurable as the experience was, Prompto needed it to end. His orgasm was tormenting him; his arousal had long since unfurled itself deep in his belly and was waiting impatiently for release. He couldn’t stand it any longer. Prompto reached between them to jerk off again, his hand moving at a frenetic speed. They continued to kiss and Prompto’s white-knuckle grip on the headboard became even tighter. He moaned, loud and long, into Gladio’s mouth and halted his hips, his entire body stiffening. He felt his cock pulse streams of cum onto Gladio’s stomach while Gladio thrusted twice before grunting out his own orgasm. Prompto broke the kiss with a loud smack and threw his head back, yelping and still tugging on himself. Gladio buried his face in the crook of Prompto’s neck and grabbed him close as he surged his hips up into Prompto one last time. They both gasped and Gladio slid down the pillows and onto his back. Prompto leaned over and kissed Gladio before moving off of him and settling by his side. He pushed Gladio’s hair out of his eyes.

“That was really good.”

Gladio shrugged, eyes closed.

“Meh.”

Prompto growled and pinched Gladio’s side, who immediately jumped and tried to shield himself. Prompto pinched and tickled until Gladio could no longer take it.

“Okay, okay,” said Gladio, red faced and gasping for air. “I’m sorry!”

Prompto retracted his fingers and settled back into his pillow, smiling.

“I made a mess.” Prompto rubbed at the hard muscles of a now guarded Gladio’s stomach, trying to wipe away the evidence of his orgasm. He laughed as he felt Gladio tense. “I’m not going to tickle you again, I swear.”

Gladio rolled his eyes.

“Sure.” He sat up. “I guess we’ll just have to take a shower.”

Prompto jumped out of bed, pulling Gladio’s hand, and they made their way to the bathroom, kissing along the way.

***

Noctis sat cross-legged atop the statue of Eos in his lair, silent and still. The only thing moving were his eyes; they were moving rapidly back and forth behind his closed lids. After yesterday, Noctis vowed to himself that he wouldn’t invade Prompto’s mind during any intimate moments, but…he didn’t say that he was going stop monitoring him completely. Noctis had the ability to enter an altered state of consciousness and project himself wherever he wanted. It was a helpful ability because it allowed him to see everything and not just rely on a single person’s thoughts and perspective, but it was more draining than telepathic links.

When he fully entered the out of body state, he searched Prompto’s room. It was empty, and he began to scan the apartment room by room until he saw Prompto in Gladio’s bed. They were beginning to touch each other and Noctis he was glad that he didn’t decide to sneak into Prompto’s mind via telepathy like he initially wanted to. He wasn’t sure he would be able to tolerate Prompto’s thoughts or keep himself from interjecting. He continued to watch as Prompto initiated sex, his slim body being handled with surprising grace from Gladio who roamed his beefy hands all over Prompto’s body. He watched the two until Prompto started tickling Gladio, a silly and juvenile move that surprised Noctis. It only made him like Prompto more.

There was a level of intimacy between Prompto and Gladio that Noctis wasn’t expecting. Their relationship was more multifaceted than he had originally thought and it depressed him. He ended the projection, gasping aloud as his consciousness rushed back to him. He sat there and brooded for a little bit, then felt foolish.

“I’m such an asshole.”

He was tired now, floating to his alcove with lethargy. Maybe with a little sadness.

***

Prompto spent the following day trying to figure out how to explain to Gladio and Iris that he was going out later that night. It was as if he was trying to come up with an excuse for his parents, but he realized he had no idea what that felt like.

“‘I’m just going out for a hunt.’” He was talking to himself while sitting on his bed, cleaning his gun. “‘I’m going to try and find Noctis.’”

But Prompto was worried that Gladio would want to tag along. Gladio probably knew more about the strigoi than Prompto did and might think that it would benefit Prompto if they went together. Prompto wondered if he should just tell the truth.

“‘I’m friends with the vampire that tried to kill me more than once, and we’re going hunting together.’”

He laughed wryly and jammed a cleaning rod into the pistol’s barrel, swirling it around.

“You are dumb.”

Prompto sighed and reassembled his gun. He had about six hours until midnight. He wondered where Noctis would want to go and if he should even bother. As much as he wanted to stay on Noctis’ good side, Prompto had a feeling he was just trading one stressful predicament for another and he would continue to do so as long as Noctis remained alive.

There was a knock at his door and Iris walked in.

“Dinner’s almost ready,” she said. She sat down on a chair in the corner, leaning back and looking at Prompto for a moment. “Gladio and I were thinking about going out later tonight. There’s a new nightclub that he wanted to check out. Wanna go?”

“Um…” Based on the way she looked at him, Prompto knew she was still irritated. He really didn’t want to lie to her, but he had no other choice. “I already planned for a hunt. I think I tracked Noctis to a specific location and I want to move as soon as possible.” He supposed that, technically, he wasn’t lying.

“Prompto, I’m so worried about you,” Iris blurted out, sitting up and gripping the armrests. “I don’t like you going after this monster. Can’t you guys just…you know…call a truce or something and leave each other alone?”

“Well…”

Iris shook her head and stood up.

“I’m sorry. I’ll just let you do your job. But, please, be safe.”

She walked over to the bed and leaned over to give him a quick kiss. Prompto felt horrible and finished putting his gun back together. When he left his room, Gladio and Iris were already sitting down at the dining room table.

“I hear you’re going on a hunt,” said Gladio. Prompto bit the inside of his cheek and slid his chair out slowly. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“No.” Prompto said it a little too fast. He sat down and looked at Gladio, giving him a strained smile. “I’m okay, I swear. I want to keep you uninvolved for as long as possible.”

Gladio frowned, but shrugged and grabbed a bowl.

“I understand. But…let me know when you need me.”

Prompto nodded. He tried to act as normal as possible after that, joking around and avoiding the topic of Noctis. Gladio told Prompto about the nightclub he wanted to go to, which sounded horrible, and Iris presented an amazing strawberry tart for dessert. They ended dinner on a high note and Prompto hoped that the mood would stay that way.

They all sat down to watch some television before Gladio and Iris left. They were watching some comedy show and Prompto was about to get up to get a drink when he heard him.

_This comedian is not funny._

Prompto clamped his mouth shut to keep himself from responding. He was sitting between Gladio and Iris and rubbed his hands on their knees before getting up.

“I…uh,” Prompto tried to smile. “I’m gonna go get ready. Don't party too hard. Love you guys.”

He waited until he was out of their sight before he started speed walking down the hall and to his room. Closing the door, he felt himself grow angry.

“What the fuck are you doing?” He was louder than he should have been. He lowered his tone. “Don’t do that, man!”

_Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt your TV time. Although, I think I did you a favor._

“What do you want?”

_I wanted to tell you where to meet me tonight. You're still meeting me, correct?_

“Like you don’t already know the answer.”

_Will Costlemark Tower be okay? We won’t actually go in the tower…we’ll just hunt around it. The daemons inside taste gross._

Prompto walked around his room and began to pack his bag.

“Do I have a choice?”

_No, not really._

“I’ll see you soon. Please get out of my head now.”

_Sure._

Prompto figured that was bullshit, but Noctis didn’t say anything else to him. He waited around for some time before he left his room, hoping that Gladio and Iris would be gone. To his relief the apartment was empty, but he felt guiltier than ever for sneaking around. The drive to Costlemark was a few hours and he got there a little after 11:00. He was early, but he knew Noctis would be there already and hoped that the sooner they started their hunt, the sooner he could leave. He pulled up along the edge of the woods surrounding the tower, and it didn’t take long before he heard Noctis.

_Walk straight towards Costlemark from your position._

Prompto did so and, after walking for about a minute, Noctis warped directly in front of him, making Prompto almost stumble back and onto his ass.

“You are such a jerk,” Prompto panted, heart beating hard underneath the hand that was on his chest.

“Whatever.” Noctis nodded towards the tower. “Be quiet and come on.”

They made their way to the area that Noctis wanted to hunt in. He requested to see Prompto shoot first. Prompto quickly eliminated the monsters, making the shots a tad flashier than usual. Noctis followed suit, with Prompto watching in amazement as he did several warp strikes and ripped the heads off of his targets within seconds. When four Thunder Bombs showed up, they began to fight together and Prompto felt a familiar rush. He had forgotten how much he loved fighting alongside someone and, even though it was with Noctis, Prompto couldn’t deny his excitement.

Noctis smiled. He had been listening to Prompto’s thoughts for a few minutes and was pleased with what he was hearing, but the smell of fresh blood made him quickly shift his attention.

“Are you going to watch me feed?” The scent of blood was getting stronger and Noctis licked his lips. “Turn away if you don’t want to see.”

“Man, I’m not a little bitch,” said Prompto but he watched with both fascination and fear. Noctis rushed over to a headless corpse, hunching over it and feeding for several moments. Prompto could hear the sickening squishing sounds of organs being shifted and pulled out. He swallowed hard. He realized that he came extremely close to having his guts sucked on by Noctis, twice, and understood how fortunate he was to be alive.

Noctis lifted his head and was panting hard. The moon was bright enough to where Prompto could see blood smeared all over his face. Noctis went back to his feeding and Prompto watched the corpse’s body begin to cave in; the blood was quickly being drained.

“Damn,” Prompto whispered.

Noctis left the husk of the monster behind and moved to another one. He fed on three more dead monsters before he got up slowly and walked back over to Prompto. He wiped his mouth with the back of a hand and smiled, looking almost embarrassed.

“Sorry,” he said, wiping at more blood. “I was hungry. I might have been a bit overzealous.”

“Yeah, man. Don’t have to explain anything to me. You do you.” Prompto waved and turned around, beginning to walk away. “This was fun. Thanks for inviting me.”

“Prompto, wait.”

He stopped in his tracks and sighed, turning around. Noctis walked to a nearby tree and bent over to retrieve a plastic bag. He made his way over to Prompto, holding it out. Prompto frowned.

“What’s this?”

Noctis shrugged. This time, he really was embarrassed.

“I just…um. Here, just take it.”

Prompto took the bag and looked inside. In it, he could see bags of chips and various candy bars. He looked back at Noctis.

“Dude, really?”

“I was hunting near Burbost last night,” Noctis lied. He had gone out of his way to get them. “I know those are your favorite and that they can only be found at the Emporium, so…”

“How did you--” Prompto was going to ask how he knew which ones were his favorites but realized how dumb of a question it was. “Whatever, thanks!”

“Sure.” Noctis smiled. “Any time.”

Prompto was about to grab a candy bar out of the bag but hesitated.

“You didn’t hurt anyone for these, did you?”

“No. I stopped in the shop. Nobody knows who I am and I can pass for a human. A sickly human, but one all the same.” A pause. “I’d like to keep it that way.”

Prompto’s face softened and he nodded. Maybe he was approaching the Noctis situation all wrong.

“Um,” Noctis continued. He started to ramble. “Do you really have to go? If so, that’s okay, but if you can hang a little longer, I was wondering if you wanted to go fishing. The Forgotten Pool is north of here and it’s a pretty good fishing hole and I’m not sure if you fish but I’d really like to show you my rod and I--”

“Already? Sorry but, I’m not that type of boy to do that on a first date.”

Noctis’ face burned when he realized what he said and Prompto laughed.

“Come on,” he said, grabbing a candy bar out of the bag and trying to rip it open with his teeth. “Let’s get in my car.”

They drove to the Forgotten Pool and Prompto allowed Noctis to talk about the different fish there, the different types of lures needed for each fish, the best time to fish; pretty much everything there was to fishing. Prompto thought it made Noctis a little more human, more relatable. But the more Noctis was humanized, the more bizarre the situation became for Prompto when he reminded himself that he was dealing with a daemon. He felt an odd sense of disconnection as a result of the dichotomy.

When they arrived at the Forgotten Pool and Prompto parked, Noctis practically jumped out of the car. He tried to play it off but the enthusiasm was evident. He led Prompto to a good spot and summoned his fishing pole, then summoned another one for Prompto.

“I mean…if you wanted to fish. You don’t have to.”

Prompto grabbed the pole and Noctis summoned two lures. They prepared their lines and the two of them began fishing. They fished without speaking to each other and Prompto began to enjoy the sound of the water lapping against the pier and the rapid clicking sound made when rolling in his line. He wasn’t much of a fisherman, but he really did like the experience even though he wasn’t catching anything.

“I’m not catching shit,” he said, voicing his thoughts.

“Be patient.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Prompto cast out his line again. “You are such a nerd. You loving fishing is just so funny to me. But, it’s cool. I like that you’re passionate about something other than killing, I suppose.”

“I try not to let my vampirism define me. I want to live as normal as I can, just like anyone else.”

_Living in Pitioss Ruins is far from normal_ , thought Prompto. Regardless, he felt bad for Noctis and thought about what he had said. Noctis sounded as if he regretted becoming a vampire, like he did the night of their fight when Prompto first asked him why he became one. Remembering that he never got a real answer, Prompto asked the question again.

“You told me that the story about you becoming a vampire was one for another time, if you let me live. Well…I’m waiting.”

Noctis didn’t look at him and reeled in his line. His relaxed demeanor was gone and he looked very uncomfortable. How he turned was apparently a sensitive subject and Prompto decided not to press the issue.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Not right now.”

“Okay.”

Prompto went back to his fishing and Noctis looked at him. He didn’t expect him to back down so easily, but he was thankful he did. It wasn’t something he wanted to waste time talking about; not that night, at least. He wanted to ride the wave of the happiness that was created by being with Prompto for as long as he could.

“I’m sorry I brought it up.” Prompto reached into a back pocket, pulling out a candy bar and extending it to Noctis. “This will make you happy.”

Noctis smiled and took it. Prompto pulled out another one and Noctis dismissed the fishing rods.

“You keep candy bars in your pocket? That’s a little excessive.”

“Hell, yeah I do. Taste one and you’ll see why.”

Noctis saw exactly why and gobbled his down in seconds. He reached over to Prompto, playfully trying to grab his candy bar, and Prompto turned away.

“Man, step off,” Prompto mumbled as he shoved the rest of the chocolate into his mouth. “I’ll throw you in the water.”

Prompto spun around and grabbed Noctis, trying to put him in a headlock. Noctis started to feel a little nervous as Prompto pulled him closer and started moving against him. They moved off of the pier and Prompto pulled him down into the grass and they started wrestling. They wrestled for a while, both of them laughing, until Noctis could feel his body respond to Prompto’s touch and proximity. He didn’t want Prompto to feel anything that he probably shouldn’t and pulled away harshly. Prompto looked surprised and confused.

“Uh, sorry.” He backed away from Noctis. “I didn’t mean to interrupt the fishing with fuckery.”

“It’s okay. I just got a charley horse or something. I think it’s time to go, anyway. I don’t want you to get home too late. Gladio might be angry.”

Prompto thought Noctis sounded weird with the last sentence but said nothing about it. He got up and grabbed Noctis’ hand, pulling him up as well.

“Yeah. Well, I’m glad you liked the candy. I try not to eat too many. I don’t know how I’m going to maintain my svelte figure if you start bringing them to me though.”

Noctis felt his heart jump.

“So, does that mean you’ll see me again?”

Prompto smiled and nodded.

“I guess we’re friends since I shared my stash with you. I don’t do that with just anybody, you know.”

They walked to Prompto’s car and, right before Prompto was going to get in, Noctis pulled him into a tight hug.

“Thank you,” said Noctis, barely audible. “For being my friend. For even thinking about being my friend after what I did to you.”

“I’m typically not one to hold grudges.” He pulled away. “Let me know when you want to meet next. But, try not to do it when I’m around Gladio and Iris, please.”

“I won’t, I promise.”

Noctis was true to his word and only communicated with Prompto when he was in private. They slowly began to get to know each other and connect as if Prompto was actually making a true friend. He supposed he was. He eventually ended up looking forward to their conversations but remained cautious. Even though Gladio and Iris had no knowledge of his communication with Noctis, Prompto still felt that the situation was continuing to evolve into something that could only end very poorly.

Prompto continued to meet Noctis at the Forgotten Pool. He met him two or three times a week. Gladio and Iris were none the wiser; Prompto traveled late at night under the guise of hunting for Noctis. The two seemed pleased with the explanation and never questioned him. They were just happy that he appeared to be less stressed, which ultimately made them less stressed but, sometimes, Prompto’s deception made him want to cry. When Prompto and Noctis were together, Noctis would teach Prompto how to fish properly and Prompto would teach Noctis how to shoot. They would talk about all kinds of things except for what Prompto really wanted to know about. Prompto refused to ask again and vowed that he would wait until Noctis was ready to bring it up himself.

It was about one month after their first trip to the Forgotten Pool when Noctis finally spoke about his turning.

“His name was Ardyn.” The two were fishing and Noctis focused on his bobbing lure in the water. “It was during A.E.”

“Holy shit,” said Prompto. “The Ancient Era? You’re over 2,000 years old?”

“Yeah. I am.”

Prompto reeled in his line and put his fishing pole on the pier. He moved closer to Noctis so he could put his hand on his shoulder.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want. You don’t owe me an explanation.”

Noctis looked at him and shook his head.

“I want to. I want to tell you everything.”


	5. Ardyn: Origins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis tells Prompto the horrific tale of his turning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so...this story was happy for four chapters, which is like a new record for me. This is certainly a shitty chapter but I really can't write anything that deals with Ardyn any other way. Perhaps I will write something where Ardyn is not a demented fuck, one day. Today is not that day. Maybe I'm the demented one tho?
> 
> I have taken great liberties with the whole A.E./Great Healer/Solheim era. Also, the section about the strigoi in the bestiary is referenced from [this](http://www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/lost-tapes/creatures/strigoi/).
> 
> TRIGGER WARNING: Extreme depictions of violence, rape, incest, and allusions to pedophilia are present in this chapter. DO NOT READ if you are sensitive to these issues!

He was known by several names: The Eater of Sin, the Savior of Souls. The Great Healer. The Chosen King. But, Noctis knew him as Uncle.

He remembered Ardyn reading a story to him one day, when he was child. Noctis was sitting in his lap, playing with his hair as he read.

“Your hair is different,” said Noctis, gently running small fingers through it. “The color is odd.”

“Well, one could say that I am odd,” responded Ardyn.

“Do you like what you do, Uncle?” Noctis abruptly changed the topic. “Do you like being a Great Healer?”

Noctis wasn’t sure why he had asked that question, but he really wanted to know the answer. He couldn’t imagine the responsibilities of a Great Healer being those that anyone would want and willingly welcome, but Ardyn appeared to embrace his duties with a sense of determination and humility that Noctis found admirable. He thought that Ardyn stood unwavering in the face of the pressures associated with the occupation and he wanted to be just like him when he grew up.

Ardyn turned his head towards Noctis, thinking.

“I am unsure if anyone could ‘like’ being a Great Healer. Remember why such a thing exists. It is because our land and people are plagued by vicious diseases that twists men into monsters. But, if you are asking if I take pride in what I do, then, yes. I will absorb the sickness that is ravaging Eos until the end of my days if it means that we can all find peace. It is my responsibility as Great Healer and as the Chosen King. That makes me proud.”

Noctis spent a lot of time with Ardyn during his formative years. He noticed his father becoming increasingly uneasy as Noctis adopted many of Ardyn’s mannerisms as he became older. Noctis became obsessed with the notion of becoming a Healer himself, to the point of trying to subject himself to the mental and physical tests that Ardyn was exposed to prior to becoming one. He was wholly and intensely infatuated with his uncle and did not see anything wrong with it. He was very thankful to have a strong and encouraging adult male figure in his life which was something that his father was not.

One night, when Noctis was a young teenager, his father had decided to finally intervene.

“You are not your uncle,” said Regis as they sat the dinner table. “And you never will be. Don’t let him fool you. He is no saint. Being a Great Healer will not negate nor help that fact.”

“Do not impose your feelings upon me, Father. I am sorry you cannot appreciate the love your brother has to offer.”

Regis sipped from his chalice of wine.

“I want you to stop these meetings with him. This relationship is a perversion of your true character. You are approaching an age where it is inappropriate for a boy to spend so much time with a grown man that is not his father.”

“I am also approaching an age where I can make my own decisions,” Noctis refuted. “And do not have to take ill-advised recommendations from someone who supposedly cares, yet probably cannot even recall my birthday.”

Regis’s face flushed. He drained his wine and slammed the cup down on the table.

“Those that eat sin become sinners,” Regis warned, voice low. “Your dear uncle already had darkness inside of him before he started consuming it. It is just a matter of time before it starts consuming him, instead. Darkness cannot drive out darkness.”

Noctis changed nothing regarding his relationship with Ardyn, but his father’s words resonated with him. They especially resonated with him when he sat with Ardyn one night, reviewing a bestiary at Ardyn’s large dining table. Noctis could see him flip the pages with a pale, shaky hand that was sprawling with dark veins. To Noctis, it was beginning to resemble a hand of a corpse. The hand suddenly left the pages of the book and Ardyn reached into a pocket to remove a handkerchief, gripping at it tightly as he brought it to his mouth. He coughed. It was long and hard, making his body jerk. He continued to hack while Noctis looked at him with dread.

“Uncle,” Noctis whispered, lifting a hand to rest on Ardyn’s shoulder. “Are you all right?”

Ardyn nodded and lowered the handkerchief from his mouth. He looked at it; crimson stained the crisp, white cloth.

“Yes. Let us continue.”

Noctis said nothing more but could hear Ardyn’s chest rattle in between paragraphs. It was a wet, clicking sound that drove Noctis mad with worry. Noctis looked up from his book and covered the words with his hand, forcing Ardyn to stop reading and look at him.

“You are far from all right, Uncle.” Noctis blinked rapidly, trying to prevent the tears that appeared out of nowhere from spilling over. “Are you dying?”

Ardyn smiled wanly and cupped one of Noctis’ cheeks. Noctis couldn’t help but tense when he realized he had used the corpse hand.

“Most likely.” Ardyn disliked pretenses. Noctis was too smart for them, anyway. “But, this is the price a Great Healer has to pay. My life is an insignificant sacrifice for the health and freedom of the afflicted.”

Noctis wasn’t sure how his uncle could continue to justify what he was doing for the people of Eos when they were starting to become unappreciative of what Ardyn provided them. A war broke out and while Ardyn continued to expunge the world of darkness, it was increasing at a rate that he could not keep up with. The darkness begat intense violence and the war raged on. Ardyn had no value to the public if he could not keep the chaos at bay. They turned on him as a new plague called the Starscourge began annihilating the populace of Solheim. The Starscourge was a parasite that was much more brutal and complex than any other disease that Ardyn had encountered before and people were already starting to blame him for Solheim’s seemingly inevitable fall.

“You owe nothing to the thankless,” argued Noctis. “They do not love you anymore. Does that not bother you? You need to stop before you get sicker.”

Ardyn was expressionless.

“Let us continue.” He flipped to the next page in the bestiary.

“‘Strigoi are creatures believed to be the spirits of deceased people’,” read Ardyn. “‘According to legend, there are many potential scenarios that could cause someone to become a strigoi after death, but this fate was usually the result of leading a troubled or unfinished life. It is a ghost, but they are also considered to be vampires as they survive by drawing blood from people. They often transform into animals or poltergeists in order to create chaos in the real world. Rumors of strigoi have persisted in Solheim for hundreds of years but have yet to be proven.’”

“Interesting,” said Noctis. “If they are considered to be vampires, do you think that they could grant immortality to those that also become one?”

“I do not know, child. It is just a legend, and a very silly one at that.” Truthfully, Ardyn was unsure. In a world where humans can become daemons, he believed that anything was possible.

“Would you welcome immortality, Uncle?” Ardyn’s eyes flickered down to his knee when Noctis placed his palm atop it. “I think I would. But, only if you did, too, so we could be together. I still have so much to learn from you.”

Ardyn felt his body temperature rise. He gently pulled his knee away from Noctis’ hand.

“Immortality is not necessarily a blessing, Noctis. In fact, I view it as more of a curse. Nothing is meant to last forever.”

“My love for you is,” said Noctis. “I would welcome immortality with open arms if you did the same. You are the only father I know.”

Ardyn took shallow breaths as Noctis moved closer to him and placed his head on his shoulder. He rubbed his dry lips together when Noctis' arm made its way around his waist.

“Please continue reading, Uncle.”

Ardyn did so while trying to quell the new, unclean desires that were burgeoning deep inside of him.

***

The common theme for the following six years was one of deterioration. Noctis watched as his uncle’s body and mind continued to deteriorate. Solheim was deteriorating as a result of the war. Above all, Noctis’ faith in all things hopeful and good was deteriorating, disintegrating into dust that would soon mix with the ashes of his homeland.

“I told you so,” his father gloated one day. “There is no saving Ardyn.”

He continued to visit his uncle, but the meetings were different. Ardyn became withdrawn and would often go out of his way to avoid Noctis. Noctis knew he was concerned about his sickness and didn’t know if it could be transmitted via proximity. Ardyn was still unsure of how the Starscourge worked due to its ability to constantly evolve. But, Noctis felt that there was more to it. Ardyn had become increasingly uncomfortable around him over the years for reasons unknown to Noctis. There was also an element of negative affectivity. He would often become disgusted with himself, then the disgust would turn into fear. Eventually, the fear would transition to anger. Sometimes the anger would turn sinister and it shook Noctis to the core.

During one visit, Noctis expressed a desire that he had been thinking about for quite some time.

“I am twenty, Uncle. I believe it is time for me to forge my own path in life rather than letting my father try and do it for me.” He paused. “I want to move in with you.”

They were sitting by the fire and Ardyn watched the flames dance in the hearth before he directed his gaze at Noctis. He inhaled deeply, exhaled with a rough cough, and looked back at the fire. Noctis watched his face closely. He had been trying to escape his father for years, but he was also extremely concerned about his uncle and he wanted to care for him. Ardyn had sunk into an even deeper depression when it had been decided by the gods that the duties of the Great Healer and the King would be split and he had not been chosen to be King. The gods had actually chosen Noctis’ father while Ardyn was to remain as the Great Healer, continuing to help the ungrateful by absorbing a malady that was destroying him.

“I do not think that is wise.” His voice was dull. “I am sick and afraid that I will get you sick as well.”

“That is absurd,” Noctis countered. “I have visited you several times since you have fallen ill. If I am not sick by now, then I will not get sick.”

Ardyn didn’t continue the argument. He was simply too exhausted to do so. He wanted nothing more than to have Noctis live with him but wasn’t sure it was wise to be near him, constantly. In addition to his erratic mood swings, the relationship Ardyn had with Noctis was slowly becoming complicated. He had fallen in love with Noctis’ spirit many years ago and, now, Noctis had grown to be a very handsome man. A soul as beautiful as Noctis’ combined with physical attributes that were just as beautiful incited danger. Ardyn found himself battling his desire for his nephew as much as he did his disease.

“Fine. But, if you feel you are beginning to get sick even in the slightest, then I will take you back to your father myself.”

Noctis moved in the following night. He arrived at Ardyn’s door, smiling wide with one small satchel in hand.

“You must have been already packed,” said Ardyn. He looked down at the satchel. “You did not bring much.”

“No,” responded Noctis, stepping into the house. “All I need is you.”

***

They had been happily living together for about three months before Ardyn began his descent into madness.

“Please,” Noctis beseeched. He had followed Ardyn into the kitchen when he heard him harass the kitchen maid and began to throw dishes. “Let me help you!”

“Fuck your mother’s rotting corpse!” Ardyn hissed back and continued to throw dishes. He tried to throw one at the fleeing maid and then one at Noctis, who narrowly missed and it shattered into pieces as it hit the wall.

Ardyn continued to rip the kitchen apart and Noctis just stood there watching, heart fluttering. He refused to believe that the monster that was emerging was really his beloved uncle. Ardyn would sometimes make eye contact with Noctis and his eyes were wild and unseeing. He looked like a rabid, dying animal and Noctis began to cry. Ardyn suddenly stopped throwing dishes and became still, Noctis’ sniffling becoming the only sound in the kitchen. As they stared at each other, Noctis could tell that something was bubbling up inside of Ardyn. Soon, Ardyn began to emit a low growl that swelled into a frantic, crazed howl.

The screaming continued and Noctis cried harder, running from the kitchen. He sat down at the dining table, hands covering ears and head hanging low while his tears dripped on the tabletop. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there before he felt fingers brush the nape of his neck. Startled, he jumped and turned around to see his uncle standing there calmly.

“I do apologize, my child.” Noctis thought his voice sounded different. “That was unbecoming of me. I am deeply sorry about the comment I made about your mother.”

Ardyn’s eyes were still blank as he smiled down at Noctis, who felt as if he was looking at a stranger.

“Uncle? What happened?”

Ardyn sighed, coughing quietly, then walked around the table to sit opposite Noctis. They stared at each other for a moment before Ardyn folded his hands on top of the table.

“A revelation,” said Ardyn. Noctis was confused. “I am finally taking your advice. Do you remember it, my dear child? What you said to me, so long ago.”

“No. I do not.” Ardyn’s demeanor was compounding Noctis’ fear and he wanted to flee.

“That I need to stop worrying about those who have scorned me, those who have ostracized me. Those who do not love me anymore.”

“I am…failing to understand, Uncle.”

Ardyn cocked his head and smiled lovingly at Noctis.

“It is time that I began taking care of myself. If you do not understand, you will soon.”

Noctis awoke the next morning to learn that Ardyn had left. He failed to believe the chamber maid that delivered the news and he wandered to each room in the house, looking for his uncle. Eventually, Noctis stopped looking and started wondering where he could have gone. There wasn’t anywhere left for him to go.

Noctis sat in Ardyn’s chair by the fireplace and tried to think, but his thoughts were a jumbled mess that eventually just meshed together and created an odd droning sound within his mind.

“Uncle…”

He wanted to cry but the tears wouldn’t come. He simply sat in Ardyn’s chair, numb, looking blankly at the black soot and embers that were in the fireplace. He stared for some time before he recalled one of the rooms he had entered when looking for Ardyn, earlier. It appeared to be a study, which was odd. He had a much larger main study and the one that Noctis had found was a tiny room with several books and parchment scattered throughout, making it look cluttered and uncomfortable. Noctis got up and headed back to the room. He became anxious as he entered, slowly walking around. The parchment looked like maps to places all over Eos and the mounds of books were about the supernatural, particularly about the strigoi. Noctis looked closer at one sheet of parchment hanging over a desk and saw a complicated map. It looked like some kind of maze, and it had circles around certain areas of the passageways. In the bottom right corner of the paper, there were some scribblings in Ardyn’s handwriting.

**_Determine sleep cycles. Hibernation?_ **

**_Difference between males and females?_ **

**_REGENERATION???_ **

Noctis felt his anxiety increase. The atmosphere in the room had become oppressive and he had to leave. He wasn’t foolish; he could make an association between the things he had found in the study. He sat back down by the fireplace and he finally felt the tears come. Hours later, the chamber maid checked on him and tried to fetch him for dinner but he sat unmoving for the rest of the night.

He spent his time crying or walking around the house mechanically, just barely going through the motions that were necessary for him to sustain life. He was settling into nothingness, becoming a type of non-being and achieving a level of disconnection that he wasn’t accustomed to even after all of the tumultuous years with his father. He missed Ardyn more than he thought he ever could. Besides his mother, Noctis had never lost anyone so close to him. Admittedly, missing Ardyn was worse. Noctis he could actually see, feel, and talk to him, unlike his mother who only existed as secondhand memories that were fading as he grew older.

After the first week, Noctis had experienced most of the stages of mourning: denial, anger, bargaining, depression. He insisted that the kitchen maid prepare a plate to be placed at Ardyn’s spot for dinner, he started to violently rip apart Ardyn’s secret study. He ended up praying to gods and goddesses whose existence he began to question, begging for them to return his uncle to him unscathed. After that, he refused to get out of bed and let himself be consumed by his hopelessness and despair while he waited for his broken heart to bring forth his demise.

By the beginning of the second week, Noctis emerged from his room. He felt different, as if his body had been purged of his depression; the flat, hollow feeling that it left in its wake now being filled with something more hopeful. He began to accept all that had befallen both him and Ardyn. Ardyn willingly decided to leave and pursue the strigoi, which would undoubtedly end in death if they really did exist. Noctis had always believed in free will versus fate. He believed that fate was an excuse that people used to repudiate blame and responsibility for their life choices. It was by free will that his uncle decided to leave him and Noctis had to acknowledge that and move on.

It had been three weeks since Ardyn left and Noctis was slowly trying to navigate life without him. He thought he was making an okay effort. He was trying to occupy himself with anything that he could think of. He started cooking and cleaning with the maids, who were now his only companions. He was trying to learn how to play the guitar and he started to fish more. But when he made the mistake of cleaning both of Ardyn’s studies one night, he crumbled, feeling sorrow return and crash into him like a wave.

Three weeks turned into four and Noctis continued to adjust to the feeling of being alone. He started letting the maids eat at the table with him and, one night, when they were settling down for dinner, there was a knock at the door. The chamber maid jumped up from her chair.

“Excuse me, Master,” she said, scurrying to the foyer. Noctis and the kitchen maid looked at each other.

“Are you expecting company, Master?” The kitchen maid asked, frantically removing her plate and silverware from the table.

“No. I am not.” He held out a hand to stop her. “Stay. There is no need to leave.”

There was a sudden high pitched yelp by the chamber maid. It frightened both Noctis and the kitchen maid, who almost dropped her plate. Noctis was about to stand from his chair when the chamber maid began screaming again.

“Master Ardyn!” She ran back into the dining room. “Master Ardyn is back!”

***

The four of them ended up dining together.

“Let us all celebrate,” said Ardyn. “For I am truly healed.”

He sat across from Noctis, smiling constantly. His presence was more than welcomed, but it was also unsettling. While Ardyn looked happy and rejuvenated, there was an undertone that Noctis couldn’t quite classify. Later that night, Ardyn and Noctis sat in their usual spots by the fire.

“Is something wrong Noctis? I figured you would be happier to see me.”

 _Yes, there is_ , Noctis thought. _You are not my uncle._

“No, Uncle. I just…I am still shocked. To have gone through the stages of grief only to find out that you are still alive is much to process.”

“Ah,” said Ardyn, nodding slowly. “That is understandable. I am sorry that I left without telling you. I just did not want to get your hopes up in case my plan failed.”

“What plan? Where did you go?”

“To a place where I was able to get my life back.”

Noctis stood up from his chair, angry.

“Please, stop with the riddles! Did you encounter the strigoi or not?”

Ardyn looked at Noctis for a moment, then smiled. Noctis wished he would stop; the smile was detached, insincere. Ardyn rose from his chair as well, inching closer to Noctis who didn’t know whether to embrace him or step away.

“I should have known that it would be impossible to keep it from you.” He stepped closer and grabbed one of Noctis’ hands. Noctis noticed that his hand was colder than usual. “You found my other study, I presume?”

Noctis said nothing.

“Yes. I did go after the strigoi. It was a quest from Hell, but I prevailed and was granted the ultimate prize. A life without sickness or death.”

Ardyn grabbed both of Noctis’ hands and pulled him closer.

“Remember what you said about immortality? How you would embrace it only if I did? Does that statement still hold true?”

Noctis could only stare at him. He began to feel dizzy.

“Them…” His voice was barely audible. “You are one of them.”

“Yes, I am one of them. And it is wonderful!” He paused, hands squeezing Noctis’. “I want to share this wonder with you.”

Ardyn pulled Noctis in his arms before the boy could respond. He crushed Noctis’ body against his, rubbing a hand along his back and nuzzling his neck.

“I want to share it with you.”

Noctis could feel his breath against his ear as he whispered. The hand on his back slid lower and he realized that everything in his world was beginning to fall apart.

“Uncle.” He tried to push Ardyn away, but his grip was firm. “I do not want this. Please let me go.”

“Is that so?” There was amusement in his voice. He began planting light kisses on Noctis’ neck. “I thought you said your love for me is eternal?”

Noctis looked up at the ceiling, feeling the tears come. Ardyn’s continued to kiss him, each kiss subjecting him to the degrading bondage of sin.

“I…it is. I love you, but not in this way.”

“Yes you do.” Ardyn turned Noctis’ face towards him and kissed him deeply. “Yes you do.”

Ardyn continued to kiss Noctis. Noctis opened his mouth with the intention to cry out, but he couldn’t find his voice. Ardyn mistook it for compliance and kissed deeper as he walked him over to a nearby chaise. He gently pushed him onto it and Noctis sat with fear against the high head rest. When Ardyn went to close and lock the door, Noctis began to cry. He supposed that fate existed after all and wondered why such a fate had been decided for him.

Ardyn sat down on the edge of the chaise, smiling his vacant smile.

“Do you think I have not been noticing all the things you have been saying to me over the years? How you have been touching me? I know you want this.”

He caressed Noctis’ face. There was no more corpse hand but Ardyn still felt dead to Noctis. He ran his fingers along Noctis’ lips and gently prodded them open to stick his fingers inside his mouth. When Noctis didn’t respond, Ardyn stuck them in deeper.

“Suck them.”

Noctis complied out of sheer fear. He didn’t know what his uncle was capable of now that he was a strigoi. What he did know was that the legends described their immense strength and he didn’t want to experience how strong they were, firsthand. Ardyn let out a soft moan as Noctis continued to suck and raised his other hand to wipe at the tears.

“Do not cry, my love. Unless they are tears of joy.”

Ardyn licked the tears from his hand then began to unbutton Noctis’ shirt. He removed his fingers from Noctis’ mouth and finished unbuttoning, spreading the shirt open with both hands, his mouth immediately seeking out a nipple. His hands ghosted over Noctis’ torso as he continued to lick and suck at his chest. Noctis continued to cry and leaned back against the head rest. He was being tortured, sickened by what his uncle was doing, but he could feel his body respond to Ardyn’s touch. He felt his soul be drained from him and replaced by shame.

Noctis’ sobs became audible and Ardyn suddenly clamped a hand over his mouth. He looked up. Whatever remained of Noctis’ resolve to resist withered away at the sight of Ardyn’s face.

“Shut. Up.”

Ardyn removed his hand from Noctis’ mouth to kiss him. The kiss was unlike the other ones; it was hard, forceful. Noctis thought it was reflective of his uncle’s true nature. Ardyn continued to ravage his mouth and Noctis moaned as he felt pain. Something was dribbling out of a corner of his mouth and down his chin. Ardyn pulled away, laughing.

“My apologies.” He licked his lips that were covered in Noctis’ blood. He had bit his lips and tongue. He swiped a finger along Noctis’ chin and brought it to his mouth. “I got carried away.”

Ardyn smiled, revealing his fangs and Noctis began shaking.

“Do you like them?” He ran his tongue over his lips once more, savoring the taste of his nephew’s blood, then over his teeth. “I will admit that they took some getting used to. Hopefully you will adjust to them quicker than I.”

Noctis shook his head, continuing to cry.

“No, please.” He was begging now. “I do not want this! Who are you?”

“You say you do not want this…” Ardyn trailed a hand down Noctis’ stomach and over his growing erection. Noctis closed his eyes, hating himself. “But I know you do. Your body is telling me you do. And even if it did not, I would still know the truth.”

Ardyn began untying the drawstring to Noctis’ pants.

“Say it,” he said, kneeling alongside the chaise and bending over to lick down Noctis’ stomach. “Say you want it.”

Noctis was unresponsive. Ardyn grabbed a thigh and squeezed, making Noctis cry out.

“I want it,” Noctis hissed. His thigh was throbbing and he would do anything Ardyn told him to do if it meant he would let go. “I want it, I want it, please.”

“Say you want me.”

“I want you.” Ardyn’s grip was tightening. It felt as if his fingertips would pierce Noctis’ flesh. “I want you, gods, I fucking want you!”

Ardyn let go of his leg.

“Thank you for being a good boy and telling me the truth. Good boys shall be rewarded.”

He shoved his hand down Noctis’ pants, pulling him out of them. He held Noctis’ erection in a loose grip, moving his hand up and down lazily. Noctis pressed his bloodied lips together as he watched Ardyn touch him. Ardyn continued his movements, tightening and quickening his grip. The roughness of Ardyn’s hand against Noctis' soft skin was creating feelings deep inside of him, feelings that he couldn’t even fathom or control.

“I shall bring you pleasure before I bring you pain.”

Ardyn leaned over and took Noctis in his mouth. Noctis cried out and arched, further driving himself into his uncle’s welcoming mouth. Ardyn sucked him eagerly and to the point where Noctis felt weak, delirious, as if Ardyn was literally sucking the life out of him. Ardyn lifted his head for a moment, looking at Noctis’ red and suffering face.

“I want you to remember this.”

Ardyn continued and Noctis came shortly after. He couldn’t scream, couldn’t move; it was as if he were paralyzed, frozen in time during a moment that encompassed both pleasure and pain. He was struggling for air and was certain that he was suffocating. He licked his lips and could still taste his blood. Ardyn sat up, clearly proud of himself.

“Did that please you? I am sure you have not experienced better. Or…are you a virgin?” Noctis felt his eyes well up again. He looked at Ardyn, bottom lip trembling. Ardyn clapped his hands together. “Oh, look at that. I should have known. You were simply waiting for me. I am so honored.”

Ardyn began undressing Noctis, tugging at his shirt, pants, and boots. When Noctis was fully undressed, Ardyn sat back on his heels and began admiring his body.

“Such a beautiful man,” Ardyn sighed. “You were such a beautiful boy, and now you are a beautiful man.”

Noctis whispered weakly. Ardyn leaned closer, unable to hear.

“What’s that, my love?”

Noctis knew he was going to die. What he said didn’t matter anymore.

“My father,” he said louder. “Was right about you.”

Ardyn stood in a rage, yelling as he backhanded Noctis, almost causing him to fly completely off the chaise. He grabbed him, pulling him up and clamping fingers around his arms. Ardyn threw him down on the floor and Noctis shrieked as he felt his shoulder dislocate. He began rolling around on the floor in pain and Ardyn quickly undid his pants. Ardyn pushed Noctis onto his stomach, gripping his hair and mashing his face into the plush carpet.

“Get on your fucking knees.” Ardyn’s voice sounded inhuman.

Noctis’ face was still being pushed into the carpet. His scream was muffled and he tried to clamp his legs together and roll onto his side. Ardyn straddled him and sat on his legs, trapping him, then quickly brought a fist down and between Noctis’ shoulder blades. He instantly went limp and Ardyn got off his legs then jerked his hips up into the air. He pulled his pants down halfway and spread Noctis’ legs.

“I hope you will enjoy this as much as I will.”

He leaned over and kissed the spot on Noctis’ back that he punched then pushed inside of him with one, painful stroke. Noctis screamed, the new pain making the pain from his back seem infinitesimal, and Ardyn began thrusting, grabbing hold of his hips to still them.

“Oh,” Ardyn moaned. “Oh, Noctis.”

Noctis began to feel the burning and tearing sensation created by Ardyn’s violation. He weakly propped himself up on his hands and looked back at Ardyn, trying to push him off. A fruitless effort. Ardyn leaned over, pushing Noctis back down.

“Do not try that again if you want your arm to remain attached.”

“Please.” Noctis found himself gasping for air again, struggling to breathe between his tears and his pain. Ardyn started moving faster, surging into Noctis; the friction from rubbing against the carpet already making his skin an angry red. “Stop.”

Ardyn moved even faster, his body slapping against Noctis’ as he continued to rip him apart. Noctis cried out, a pitiful, long wail that he hoped the maids would hear but he knew that no one would come. He soon became motionless as Ardyn continued to abuse him, no longer having the will to fight anymore. He lost track of the time as he tried to separate himself from his body and the situation, completely. Eventually, he heard a groan and felt the thrusts stop. Ardyn sagged as he finished coming inside of Noctis, roughly pulling out of him.

“Now the real pain begins,” he whispered.

He grabbed Noctis’ hair, pulling him up against him and leaned his head to the side to expose his neck. Ardyn bit it, humming in ecstasy as he began to suck his blood.

***

Noctis woke up the next night. He had slept for almost 24 hours. He slept a deep, dreamless sleep, but felt dreadful. He felt nothing but pain and nausea. His body was riddled with bruises and soreness that served as an unwanted reminder of what transpired between him and Ardyn. The lower half of his body burned, as if he was being consumed by the flames from the depths of Hell. The bite from Ardyn burned just as hot and its swelling prevented Noctis from moving his neck comfortably.

He sat up in his bed and tried to get up. He slid to the ground and cried out as he landed hard on the wooden floor. He began coughing, the nauseous feeling rising, and felt like he was going to throw up. He did, leaning over and heaving vomit that was more blood than anything else. That made him afraid and he started to crawl to his bedroom door to get help. Before he could make it far, Ardyn entered the room. Noctis immediately shrunk away, but started gagging and threw up once more.

“The process has started,” said Ardyn, walking into the room. He shut the door behind him and Noctis felt his pulse quicken.

“Uncle…” His voice was feeble. “What is happening to me?”

“My child. This is the beginning of your true awakening. You will die, but be reborn as a superior being…if it works. There is a chance it will not.”

Noctis looked frantic and began yelling at Ardyn with as much strength as he could muster.

“What do you mean? What did you do to me?”

Ardyn shushed him and walked over, kneeling and running a hand through Noctis’ sweaty and matted hair.

“I gave you a gift. Try not to be unappreciative.”

He left and Noctis began shaking, not knowing what else to do. He managed to climb into bed and tried to go back to sleep, hoping he didn’t choke on his vomit.

***

Noctis woke up the next night feeling even worse.

He was delirious, thrashing his head on the pillow and bellowing long, drawn out groans. His entire body was feverish and covered in sweat and his skin felt like it was being peeled off excruciatingly slow. He knew he was dying when he opened his eyes one time and saw his mother, her beautiful figure sitting at his desk, smiling and holding out her hand.

“Soon, Mother,” he whispered.

Ardyn walked in sometime during the night, the chamber maid following closely behind him with two buckets.

“Master Ardyn,” said the maid. “I am unsure if bloodletting will help Master Noctis at this point.”

Ardyn turned to her, grabbing the buckets.

“Good thing I did not ask for your opinion. Get out and shut the door.”

The maid blushed and quickly did what she was told. Ardyn walked over to the bed and sat the buckets down, then brought a stool over. He plopped down, sighing, and ran a hand along a trembling forearm.

“My dear Noctis. This will soon end.”

Ardyn took the forearm in his hand and reached into his pocket for a small blade. He made an incision that ran from elbow to wrist, blood blooming on Noctis’ pale skin almost instantly. He held Noctis’ arm over the bucket, watching the blood drip. Ardyn sat there for about an hour, filling the buckets and listening to Noctis’ heart beat fade.

“I hear it. It is almost time.”

Ardyn waited until there were several seconds in between beats before he held the blade to his wrist, slashing it. He held it to Noctis’ lips, rubbing it against them, and forced his wrist into his mouth.

“Drink, my love. Drink from me.”

It took a moment, but Ardyn felt Noctis’ tongue lap at his wrist. Ardyn moaned and bit his lip, grabbing the back of Noctis’ head and pushing him closer.

“Yes. Take my strength and make it yours.”

Soon, Noctis began breathing normally and was coherent. His thirst for his uncle’s blood was apparent and he began to suck eagerly at Ardyn’s wrist, hands flying up to hold his arm in place. Ardyn moaned again and allowed him to drink until he couldn’t stand it any longer. He ripped his wrist away and brutally kissed Noctis, smearing his blood over both of their lips. Noctis pulled away from him.

“More,” Noctis requested.

Ardyn shoved his wrist back into Noctis’ mouth and he continued to drink. Ardyn undid his pants and pulled himself out, moving his hand along his hardness. He used rapid strokes, moving harder and faster as Noctis continued to drink.

“I’m going to come all over you.”

Ardyn let Noctis take one last suck from his wrist before he stood up from the stool, hand moving at a lightning pace. He grunted then leaned over on the bed, ejaculating over Noctis’ bare stomach and chest. Sighing, he let his wrist drip onto Noctis, slowly running his fingers along his stomach and mixing the blood with the semen. He brought the fingers to Noctis’ mouth. Noctis knew better than to deny him and he sucked, letting his uncle continue to use him.

***

Noctis lay in bed and tried to process the past 48 hours. He lacked the mental capacity to do so and, instead, decided to simply feel bad for himself. He ruminated over what had transpired with Ardyn again and felt worthless. He couldn’t believe that he let it happen to himself again and wondered if he really did like it; if he was just a dirty whore that was asking for it. When he felt himself fall into a profoundly deep hole of sadness, Noctis forced himself to think about other things. He was assuming that he had turned and that the process had been successful. He no longer felt like he was dying and felt no pain in his body. But it still felt like something was missing, as if the process wasn’t really complete.

He felt good enough to get into the bath and was about to do so when he heard a knock at the door. He knew it was Ardyn and felt his insides twist.

“Yes?”

The door opened and the kitchen and chamber maids walked in. To Noctis’ horror, their wrists were bound behind their backs and they walked with their heads down, sniffling as they made their way to the bed and stood in front of him. Noctis looked at Ardyn, who walked in behind them.

“What is the meaning of this?” He reached for the maids, but Ardyn grabbed them by the wrists and pulled them back, making them cry out.

“There’s one more step to the process,” said Ardyn. He moved to the side of the bed. “It is not complete. Surely you feel it, no?”

“Please!” Noctis felt his terror escalate. “What do you plan for them?”

“It seems that you three have bonded while I was gone. Very sweet.” Ardyn paused, eyes darting between the maids and Noctis. “Tell me, which one is your favorite?”

Noctis didn’t respond. He didn’t really know how he should respond. He looked at the maids. They were sobbing, their pretty faces streaked with tears. He shifted his gaze to the kitchen maid. While he cared for both of the maids, Noctis became close with the kitchen maid as they worked together, preparing meals for the past month. He could have seen himself grow closer to her if given the chance.

“I’m waiting.”

“The kitchen maid,” he revealed.

“A wise choice.”

Noctis didn’t even see the knife. Ardyn grabbed the maid by her bonnet and, tilting her head back, slit her throat. The chamber maid and Noctis screamed as Ardyn began sawing at her neck, struggling as he cut deep. A disgusting gurgling sound was coming from the kitchen maid’s mouth.

“Whoops,” he said, still cutting. He was trying to decapitate her. “I guess my knife is a little dull.”

Eventually, he removed her head. Her body slumped to the floor, making a thump that made Noctis feel sick. The chamber maid screamed over and over, her keening resonating deep inside Noctis’ skull. He covered his ears and started shaking his head.

“Stop,” he pleaded. “Just stop!”

Ardyn grabbed the chamber maid and cut the rope wrapped around her wrists. He pushed her near the door.

“Prepare something to clean this up.”

She fled and Ardyn smiled. He was still holding the kitchen maid’s head. He dangled her in front of Noctis’ face by her hair.

“Won’t you give her a kiss? I am sure you want to. She would like it, too.”

He thrust the head in front of Noctis’ face. He closed his eyes and gave her a quick peck. Ardyn clicked his tongue.

“Try again. With feeling.”

Noctis started crying. His tears had been replaced with blood. He gave her a long and soft kiss.

“That’s better.” He threw her head to the side and Noctis whimpered as he heard it hit a wall. Ardyn picked up her body and hauled it onto his bed, across Noctis’ legs. “Now drink.”

Noctis looked at the body and Ardyn in disbelief.

“What?”

“You need to drink a human’s blood within 24 hours of drinking from your Master or else you will die.” Noctis shivered at the thought of his eternal bond with Ardyn. “You still have some time, but I figure there is no sense in drawing it out.”

He nudged the body closer.

“I do not want my gift to you to be wasted. So, hurry up.”

Noctis looked back at the maid’s body. He ran his hand against hers, rubbing his fingertips along her palm. He tried to mourn for her, but he could smell her blood. It was driving him insane.

“You smell it, do you not?” Ardyn smiled. “It is calling you.”

Noctis swallowed hard. He averted his gaze and tried to focus on something else, but found himself staring back at her body, watching the blood quickly stain his sheets. All he could think about was how wasteful he was being.

“Yes, Noctis. Surrender.”

Noctis moaned and grabbed her body. His teeth sank into the exposed skin of a soft breast and he began to suck. He felt something flow into his body almost immediately, some sense of complete renewal. He drank from her breast, then switched to the other one, then started to feed off of what remained of her neck. When he had drained her corpse of as much blood as he could, Noctis sat up, panting and painted red. Ardyn ran a hand along his face.

“How do you feel, my love?”

“Better than I have ever felt in my life.” That was the truth.

“And now…” Ardyn sighed with a smile. “The process is complete.”

***

“Noctis…” Prompto didn’t know what to say. “Holy fuck.”

They had moved to standing on the pier to sitting on a nearby blanket. Prompto listened to Noctis with rapt attention, growing increasingly disgusted with every word. Noctis sat cross-legged next to Prompto, looking down at his hands that were clasped together in his lap.

“Yeah.” He started sniffling, but tried not to cry. He didn’t want Prompto to see the blood. “I mean…” His voice wavered and he sighed, looking up at the sky. He couldn’t help but cry as he thought about his past. His thick, bloody tears began falling and Prompto watched in awe.

Prompto grabbed a hand out of Noctis’ lap.

“It’s okay to cry,” he whispered.

Noctis inhaled deeply and exhaled with a sob.

“I just…” He started crying freely. “I know why Ardyn was confused. I gave him mixed signals. So, I guess I deserved everything I got.”

Prompto dropped Noctis' hand. Noctis suddenly felt a light smack against the back of his head. He looked at Prompto, surprised.

“You did _not_ just say to me that you deserved to be raped, Noctis.” He shook his head. “Are you fucking nuts?”

Noctis shook his head, then nodded his head as his face contorted. He began to sob and Prompto pulled him into his chest.

“Don’t ever say that again,” said Prompto, rubbing Noctis’ back.

They held each other even after Noctis stopped crying. He pulled back first, his face wearing a mask of blood.

“I have to wash my face.” He looked at Prompto’s chest. “Sorry about your shirt.”

“Whatever, man. Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

Noctis got up and walked over to the pond to rinse his face, sitting back down when he was done. He grabbed the small electric lantern that was sitting at a nearby corner of the blanket and began to idly fiddle with the power knob.

“After I turned,” he began. “We continued to live together.”

“Noctis. You don’t have to tell me anything else.”

Noctis nodded, still holding the lantern. The light pulsed as he continued to turn the knob.

“I know.”

He was silent for a moment and set the lantern down.

“We still lived together after I turned. Ardyn continued to grow more sinister, I continued to grow more scared. But I didn’t have anywhere to go. I didn’t want to go back to my father. I couldn’t. He was King. He probably would have thrown me in the town square and burned me himself. Even though I was a strigoi too, I was so afraid of Ardyn. There was no way I could fight him. He had this level of madness to him that had still remained untapped. Every day I lived in fear that I would do something wrong, something he didn’t like. And that he would just rip my head off as a result.

“We hunted together for a while. I didn’t enjoy it. Not like he did. We hunted humans. Men, women, boys, girls.” Noctis paused. Prompto thought he could see blood in the corners of his eyes. “Babies. Ardyn liked hunting babies especially. They obviously couldn’t put up a fight and he liked hearing them cry. We would go from town to town and he would pick them out of their bedrooms. He would laugh when he thought of their parents waking up to an empty crib. He liked taking women and young boys, too. He’d rape the women, drain them immediately, and toss them aside. But, with the boys, he…”

“Don’t,” said Prompto. “I know.”

“I had to watch everything. He considered the hunts a learning experience for me. I was his student, his Child; he was my Master. My Maker. He continued to violate me, physically, mentally. Emotionally. Until, one day, he didn’t.”

Prompto frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“He just…didn’t. He left me. He gave me no explanation. I guess he felt he didn’t owe me one. I didn’t care, I just wanted him gone. But, not knowing where he’s gone is worse than having him around. Because, now, all I do is worry and wait for the day when he reappears. I wake up thinking about it, I go to sleep thinking about it. There isn’t a moment when I’m not thinking about it. I think that’s what he wanted.”

Prompto was silent, trying to process the story.

“So, that’s why I hunt animals,” Noctis continued. “I found out that they were suitable for feeding a little while after Ardyn left. I don’t ever want to kill a human out of hunger, again. Now, killing a human because they’re an annoying asshole…that’s different.” Noctis poked Prompto’s knee with a finger and smiled weakly. Prompto smiled back, happy to hear him joke.

“Thank you for sharing your story.” Prompto was quiet, still trying to wrap his mind around everything. He felt a painful, sinking feeling in his chest. “I’m sorry your life has been so unhappy.”

Noctis smiled again. It looked wistful.

“There were a few good times. I made a special friend. You guys are kind of similar.” Noctis paused. “Wait, not really. He was nothing like you. But, he accepted me, just like you did. He made me happy...” Noctis was embarrassed. “Like you do.”

Prompto grinned.

“What was his name?”

Noctis hesitated, rubbing his lips together. Prompto was about to say that he didn’t have to tell him if he didn’t want to, but he spoke.

“Ignis.”

“Will you ever tell me about him?”

“I will. But, not tonight.” He stood up, waving his hand and making the blanket and lantern disappear. Prompto made a sound of surprise as the blanket disappeared from underneath him; he would never get used to that. “You should get going.”

They began slowly walking down the trail and to Prompto’s car. Noctis still looked sad and Prompto slung an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close.

“You don’t have to be sad anymore,” he said. “And you don’t have to be afraid of Ardyn coming after you, because I’ll fuck him up.”

Noctis felt like crying again but ended up laughing, wrapping his arm around Prompto. They walked together, in each other’s arms, until they reached Prompto’s car at the edge of the trail. Noctis let go.

“Thank you, Prompto. For listening to me, for not judging me. It really means a lot. I've never told anyone about this. Talking about it felt good.”

“Anyone who would judge you for that is a dick and is probably worth you taking a break from your ‘animals only’ diet.” He put a hand on Noctis' shoulder. “Thank you for trusting me.”

Prompto started turning towards his car when Noctis grabbed him by the arms and held him still. Noctis leaned in and kissed Prompto, a hard, closed mouth kiss that was awkward as hell. Prompto was unresponsive and Noctis felt what little self-esteem he had left begin to die but he felt Prompto’s lips work against his. His lips gently moved along Noctis’, planting soft, quick kisses. When Noctis felt Prompto’s tongue lick and tease his bottom lip, he pulled away.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” He let Prompto go and stepped back. “Shit, I’m dumb!”

“Chill, man. It’s okay. I kissed back too, you know.”

Prompto was laughing, shaking his head. He pulled Noctis into a hug.

“Remember what I said, Noctis. You don’t have to be sad anymore. Not as long as I’m around.” He gave him a hard squeeze. “And, if you are, I’ll just feed you candy and make you watch videos of baby chocobos until you’re not. Not even creepy dead guys like you can resist that shit.”

Noctis laughed but it was thick with grief. He clenched his eyes shut as he felt himself begin to come apart again.

“Thank you, Prompto,” he whispered. “I’ll see you later.”

He warped out of Prompto’s arms and caused him to stumble forward. Prompto sighed and got into his car. He tried to insert the keys into the ignition but struggled as he began to sob, too.


	6. Ignis: The Elements of Style

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis tells Prompto about his first love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I live in Florida and it's already hotter than Satan's asshole. I'm pretty miserable. My misery has apparently been channeled into this chapter because it sucks. It's long, horrible, and devoid of fun like this summer is going to be. Gee, I'm making this chapter really enticing, aren't I?
> 
> I tried to write Lestallum with 1940s Havana in mind; the devs have said that Lestallum borrows design cues from Cuba. I also wondered if I had been writing inaccurately when I depict Ardyn or Noctis having an orgasm. Since vampire tears are blood, their other bodily fluids should be, too...right? I Googled it (yes, really) and, besides looking like a mega creep to whatever/whomever monitors my computer as I typed in "vampire jizz", I found out that most depict vampires as having regular semen but without active sperm, not blood. It's probably for the best because blood would be really gross and a total boner killer. But I guess a depiction is never really "inaccurate" when you're writing about shit that doesn't exist, so it doesn't really matter. -_-
> 
> Enjoy!

The apartment was dark and quiet when Prompto made it home. He cringed when the front door creaked as he gently pushed it open and tried to slip in. Even though Gladio and Iris still believed that he was hunting, they were starting to question him. What were his bounties? Where was he going? Their questioning meant more sneaking, which he loathed. Each visit to Noctis made him feel guiltier than the last, but he couldn’t imagine not seeing him now. They had reached a turning point that night and Noctis gave Prompto his heart and trust, completely. The last thing Prompto wanted to do was abandon him.

He continued to tiptoe to his room and wondered if there would ever be a day where he wouldn’t sneak. The constant anxiety he had was eating him alive. Every day, he waited to be caught and shunned by the two people he loved the most. Not for the first time, he contemplated telling Gladio and Iris about his relationship with Noctis. Noctis was no longer considered a threat, so there was no reason for anyone to be hostile. Simple, right?

_Yeah…if only_ , he thought.

Prompto made it to his room and exhaled. The crying episode in his car had exhausted him. He closed his door and leaned against it, still trying to understand what Noctis had told him. The horror that was his life was unbearable to hear and he couldn’t imagine actually living with such sorrow for over 2,000 years. He was surprised at how much Noctis trusted him and how willing he was to talk to him. He found that it pleased him, too.

He pushed himself off of the door, pulling his bloodied shirt over his head, and walked to his bathroom. He was about to throw the shirt into his hamper but hesitated. Looking at the dried bloodstain, he remembered how natural it felt to pull Noctis’ head into his chest and let him cry; how badly he felt the need to comfort him. He folded the shirt and put it in a cabinet drawer, hidden by unused towels.

He took a long, hot shower. As he was getting into bed, he checked his phone. There were several missed calls and text messages. Once again, Prompto felt that horrible, helpless feeling you get when you watch a situation spin violently out of control. He hadn’t really been talking to Dino for the past month and had resorted to making up excuses as to why he didn’t have anything to report whenever they did talk. Now, he was at the avoidance stage, completely ignoring Dino’s calls and not even looking at the texts or listening to the voicemails. He swiped at his screen, hiding the notifications.

He climbed into bed, tucking in under the sheets. He thought about Noctis again and wondered how he was doing. He didn’t want to leave as soon as he did and he desired to hear more, but he wanted to make sure they didn’t stray too far from Noctis’ comfort zone. He rolled onto his back, looking at the ceiling, and predicted he wouldn’t be able to get any sleep that night. He continued to stare vacantly and his eyes started stinging as it became harder to swallow. Prompto began crying again and turned onto his side, trying to muffle the sound. He felt the miserable ache of sadness blossom in his solar plexus and begin to spread throughout his entire body.

_Don’t cry for me, Prompto._

Prompto jumped a little, not expecting the voice but still welcoming it. He sniffed and let out a shuddering sigh.

“I can’t help it,” he spoke softly.

_I’m sorry I burdened you with my issues._

He sniffed again, rubbing at his nose.

“I’m sure you can guess what I’m doing right now.”

Noctis was silent for a few seconds.

_Rolling your eyes?_

“Bingo.” He turned onto his back again. “I wish we could have spent more time together tonight.”

Noctis didn’t say anything. Prompto continued.

“I really didn’t mind your kiss. I swear on my life.”

He began to feel an odd, pulsating warmth wash over and into his body. It reminded him of what he felt when he first met Noctis in the Pitioss Ruins.

“Are you doing that?”

_Maybe._

The feeling intensified and Prompto’s lips parted, letting out a small moan. It felt good.

“Noctis…”

His breath began to quicken, but the warmth disappeared as rapidly as it appeared.

_I’m sorry._ A pause. _I’ll let you go to sleep. Good night_.

“Wait. There’s nothing to be afraid of with me, Noctis. I just wanted to let you know that. See you tomorrow?”

_Yeah. See you._

As predicted, Prompto didn’t sleep easily. It was light and non-restorative and he ended up waking up several times throughout the night, resulting in a miserable, groggy feeling. He lay listless in his bed the next morning, sighing as he heard his phone buzz on his nightstand. Figuring that he couldn’t feel much worse, he reached over and grabbed it.

“Hello?”

“You fucked me, Prompto!” Dino was pissed. “They let me go! I told you I needed something within a month!”

Prompto closed his eyes and just let Dino unload.

“You are such a fucking asshole. You knew how important this was for me! Now what am I supposed to do?”

“I’ll help you out financially,” said Prompto. It was the least he could do. “So don’t worry about money.”

“I don’t want your damn money. It was never about money; it was about my career. You think it’s gonna be easy for me to find another paper to go to? Once they find out I’ve been fired because of my lack of quality work, they won’t touch me!”

“Dino, I’m sorry. I’ll figure something out, I swear.”

“Whatever.”

Prompto heard the chime that indicated an ended call. He put his phone back down on the nightstand and sat up, yelling as he threw a pillow across the room. Soon after, there was a knock at the door.

“What?” His voice was harsh.

Gladio walked into the room.

“Cranky much?”

“Sorry.” Prompto got up and started walking around the room, randomly grabbing things and putting them away. He couldn’t face Gladio right now. “Just dealing with some shit.”

“You wanna talk about it?” He sat on the bed but Prompto didn’t look at him.

“Not really.” He knew he was being a jerk and his shoulders sagged. “I’m just dealing with some stuff with Dino. I promised him that story and didn’t come through. He got fired.”

Gladio shrugged.

“Shit happens. You can’t help people all the time,” he said simply and extended a hand. “Come here. I feel like I rarely see you these days.”

Prompto walked over to the bed and sat down. He whimpered as strong hands began rubbing his shoulders. Gladio gave some damn good massages.

“You’re tense. What’s wrong, really?”

Prompto’s mind screamed for him to tell the truth.

“I’m just tired. I forgot how hard constant hunting is on the body.”

A hand left a shoulder and poked Prompto’s stomach.

“Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard if you didn’t eat Iris’ desserts all the time.”

“Maybe.”

“Hey…” Gladio turned Prompto’s face towards him. “What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

Seeing his concern made Prompto feel like the worst person on the planet. He felt like crying.

“I don’t know, Gladio. I’m just sad. Sometimes I get like this, you know?”

“I know.” He cupped a cheek. “Maybe this will cheer you up?”

Gladio leaned in and kissed him. He sat there, closing his eyes as he felt the tears come. They continued to kiss, but Prompto wasn’t as enthusiastic as he usually was and it was obvious. Gladio pulled back from Prompto and looked at him, cocking his head.

“You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”

Prompto felt a jolt of panic run through his body.

“Huh?”

“You’re kissing me differently. It feels…” Gladio searched for his next words. “Like you think you’re betraying someone. If that makes sense.”

“Um, not really.”

Prompto realized that it did though. He felt guilty for betraying Gladio by lying to him, but he had started to feel like he was betraying Noctis somehow by being with Gladio. It was a bizarre feeling and he didn’t know what it meant.

“Who is she? Or he?”

“No one,” he whispered. A tear fell down a cheek.

Gladio snickered.

“Okay.” He got up from the bed. “I’m not mad. I’m happy for you. Really.”

Prompto grabbed his hand and looked up at him.

“Gladio…” He was frantic. “Don’t leave me.”

“I kind of have to. Iris is waiting for me so we can go shopping together and--”

“That’s not what I meant.”

“I’ll never leave you, Prompto. I tell you all the time, you’re my best friend. You always will be.”

Prompto couldn’t take it anymore.

“Noctis,” he said. He let go of Gladio’s hand. “I haven’t been hunting. I’ve been visiting Noctis.”

Gladio’s brow knitted, then his face went blank. He just stared at Prompto, who began crying freely.

“Please say something.”

Gladio sat down on the bed again.

“You’ve been lying to us.”

“I didn’t mean to!” Prompto cried harder, leaning over onto his knees and cradling his head in his hands. “I just didn’t know how to tell you and Iris.”

“How did this happen? You’re with him?”

Prompto sat up.

“No, I’m not.”

“Not yet.”

“There is no ‘yet’, Gladio.” Prompto wondered how true that was. “I’ve just been spending time with him. We…got to know each other. We’re friends. I know that sounds so fucking stupid, but it’s the truth. We talk, we fish, we’re friends. That’s it.”

Gladio didn’t respond.

“I want you to know because I don’t want to lie to you. I’ve never lied to you before and I don’t want to pick up the habit now. I don’t know.” Prompto wiped his face then spoke quietly, hoping that he wouldn’t sound like an asshole with his next statement. “I think he’s going to need help soon, too. I might need your assistance.”

“Why the fuck would I help a monster that tried to kill you? Not to mention, how could two mortals possibly help a vampire?”

“Because you trust me. Just trust me when I say he’s not evil. He’s just…lonely and lost. I’m not too sure about the answer to your second question. Not yet.”

Gladio looked at Prompto, stone faced. It was making Prompto uncomfortable, but then Gladio started laughing.

“This sounds like the worst vampire love story, ever.”

“It’s not a love story,” Prompto said quickly. “It’s just...it just is.”

Gladio took Prompto’s face into his hands, rubbing his thumbs over wet cheeks.

“I’m not going to pretend that I’m okay with this. I’m really annoyed that you’ve been hiding this from us. But, I do trust you. I always have and I always will. Regardless of what you and I were, are, or may become…” He smiled. “I’ll follow you to the ends of Eos. You’re stuck with me. And Iris.”

Prompto threw himself into Gladio’s arms.

“You took that much better than I expected,” Prompto mumbled into his neck.

“It was my good deed for the year.” Gladio rubbed the back of Prompto’s head. “But, really. I have to go before Iris makes me carry all of her shopping bags. Which, I’ll probably end up doing anyway.”

Prompto pulled away and Gladio stood up from the bed.

“Just give us some time to process this. Especially Iris. I’ll tell her later. However, you might want to prepare for a few punches. Just a friendly warning.”

“Duly noted.” He felt an immense weight lift off his shoulders. “I love you, Gladio.”

“I know.” He smirked. “I love you.”

***

Noctis was in his lair, projecting his consciousness. After he had talked to Prompto telepathically the night before, he wasn’t able to stop thinking about him. He knew he took a risk with the aura manipulation, but he couldn’t really help it. It was just something that happened during a telepathic link when he was excited. Nonetheless, Prompto seemed to enjoy it and Noctis wondered if he would let him do it again.

He was watching the exchange between Prompto and Gladio unfold. He didn’t really believe what he was hearing, not at first. Prompto had given no indication that he was going to tell Gladio the truth but Noctis was ecstatic. Maybe they could see each other more often as a result. He was struck by Gladio’s uncanny ability to always end his interactions with Prompto on a happy and respectful note, regardless of how angry he really was. To Noctis, that was indicative of true love, though he was still unsure of what type of love Gladio and Prompto had for each other. He felt bad about how he had been judging Gladio, but remained jealous of the profound bond between the two men.

When Gladio left the room, Noctis ended the projection. His body couldn’t take much more. His consciousness returned to him in the usual, harsh manner and he lay still in his alcove. He replayed what he just saw in his mind, focusing on one thing in particular: the part where Prompto said that Noctis might need help soon.

“So, you feel it too.”

He was also thinking about Prompto’s interaction with Dino. Noctis had entered Prompto’s room, mid-conversation. It sounded like someone was in trouble. He would be sure to ask Prompto about it the next time they met. He smiled a little bit as he thought about seeing him again that night and felt a strange feeling. He wondered if he was feeling happiness. It had been so long since he had, he wasn’t sure if he could recognize it anymore. He knew better than to be overly hopeful or happy, but he was really satisfied with the way their friendship was progressing. He didn’t anticipate Prompto being so forgiving and welcoming and couldn’t wait until he saw him again. Noctis felt absolutely ridiculous.

***

Prompto was watching TV in the living room when Gladio and Iris returned from their shopping trip.

“You’re in trouble,” said Gladio, his arms full of bags.

“Prompto!” Iris stormed in behind Gladio and jerked a leg back, kicking the door shut. “What the fuck?”

Prompto pressed his lips together. Gladio hissed and made a face, setting the bags on the dining room table.

“Man, she’s really pissed.”

“Iris,” said Prompto, smiling and holding out his arms. “Darling, honey. Light of my life…”

“Stop with your bullshit!” She sat down on the couch. “Explain.”

Prompto did and Iris listened. So did Gladio. In addition to how they transitioned from foes to friends, he briefly mentioned the poor quality of Noctis’ existence for the past 2,000 years and revealed a little bit about his history with Ardyn. It was still enough for Iris to feel bad for Noctis, which wasn’t really Prompto’s intention but it worked all the same. Even Gladio seemed to slightly change his opinion.

“Oh, poor Noctis,” Iris lamented. She then frowned at Prompto and punched his arm hard, making him yelp.

“Told you so,” said Gladio.

“I’m still pissed at you, but…” She seemed to get excited. “Do you think Noctis will eat cake? You said you have like, picnics and stuff. What could you possibly eat? I know your ass can’t cook anything. Do vampires consume anything other than blood?”

“I just feed him candy and chips.” Prompto rubbed his arm. “That seems to be working, so far.”

Iris frowned again and stood up from the couch.

“I’m going to make some stuff for you to bring him! I imagine he doesn’t eat well, considering he lives in a cave and you just pump him full of junk food. And he’s, you know, a vampire. I’m sure he’s skinny. Do you think he’ll get mad if I make him little vampire cupcakes? I have this super cute design I want to try out. It’s for Halloween but, whatever. If I make some beef, should I make it extra rare? Or just raw, period?” She continued to talk as she entered the kitchen.

“Oh, hell.” Gladio shook his head. “Here we go.”

Prompto looked at him.

“You don’t know how much this means to me,” he said. “I don’t deserve you guys.”

“Yeah, well…next time you’re the one that goes shopping with her.”

“And you wash the dishes and clean the bathrooms for me!” Iris chimed in from the kitchen.

Prompto laughed and nodded, feeling endless love for the two.

***

Prompto pulled up to the Forgotten Pool and saw Noctis waiting. Before, when they first started meeting, Noctis would just wait for him to walk by himself to meet him at the pier. Now, he would wait at the edge of the road so he could see Prompto as soon as he pulled up. It reminded Prompto of a little kid waiting for their dad to return home and he thought it was really cute.

“Hey,” said Noctis. He looked nervous; he always did whenever they first met for the night.

“Hey.” Prompto made his way to his trunk and popped it open. Noctis was intrigued and walked over to look.

“What’s this?”

“Oh, just a little something Iris made for you. She sends her regards.”

In the trunk was a massive picnic basket and a cake box. Prompto hauled the basket out, grunting as he did so.

“I mean, really. How much food does she think we’re going to eat?” He tilted his head towards the cake box. “Mind getting that?”

Noctis grabbed the box and Prompto shut the trunk. Noctis was stunned silent and they walked down the trail for a while before he spoke.

“I don’t understand. Why did she do this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why is she being so nice? Shouldn’t she hate me?”

“Yeah, probably,” Prompto admitted. “So should Gladio. So should I. But, we don’t. That’s just the way we are. And Gladio and Iris are better people than I am, by far. Once they accept you, you’re pretty much family. It might take a while, but it’ll happen.”

“Family,” Noctis repeated. Just like how he forgot how it felt to be happy, he forgot how it felt to have a family -- blood or not -- that made him feel safe and wanted.

Neither one said anything the rest of the way to the Pool. They walked over to their usual spot in the grass and the blanket and lantern appeared. The two set the food down and Prompto began walking to the pier.

“Fishing first?”

Noctis shook his head.

“No.”

“I’m sorry. Did I just hear you decline an invitation to fish?”

“I just…” Noctis sat down. “I wanted to have more time to talk to you without being distracted, that’s all.”

Prompto made his way back to the blanket and sat next to Noctis.

“Okay. Well, what do you want to talk about?”

“I saw you and Gladio talk this morning.” He looked at Prompto’s face and saw no reaction. “I wanted you to know that I really appreciate what you did. I know you told him because you couldn’t stand lying to him anymore, but you could have just stopped seeing me and you didn’t. I hope you’re not mad that I listened in on your conversation.”

“Nope. I’m not.”

Noctis was relieved.

“I also heard you talk on the phone to Dino. Is he in trouble?”

“Yeah. I fucked him over. He needed a story for his editor and he wanted it to be about you. I couldn’t do it and he lost his job.”

“Well…” Noctis wanted to help Prompto in any way possible. “I said I didn’t want any pictures of me, but maybe I could talk to him. He could interview me or something.”

“You mean like that ancient movie?”

“What?”

“Never mind.” Prompto moved on. “I don’t like the idea. That’s kind of why I didn’t give him a story in the first place. Dino’s a good guy, but I don’t want to risk people finding out who and where exactly you are.”

“I’m pretty sure I have ways to make sure Dino doesn’t say anything specific.”

“Oooh, intimidation,” said Prompto. He opened the picnic basket. “I like it. You’re like a mobster, busting knee caps.”

Noctis smiled and Prompto began removing food from the basket. Iris had packed them a variety of items and it all looked wonderful. He still couldn’t believe that she had spent time cooking for him.

“Iris did all of this?”

“Yeah.” Prompto continued to pull out food. “Wanna see what’s in the cake box?”

Noctis grabbed it and lifted off the top. Inside were several cupcakes decorated with a cartoonish rendering of a vampire. He chuckled and Prompto leaned over to look in the box.

“Did she do the vampire cupcakes? Oh, man.” He pointed. “There’s something else. Some kind of pastry, I think.”

Noctis stared at the pastry and slowly began reaching for one, but retracted his hand.

“She called it vol-au-vent. Or something. Some kind of old recipe. It calls for special berries from Tenebrae but…she just used some raspberries and blueberries.”

Noctis said nothing and Prompto looked at him, feeling the weird shift in mood.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” He felt something pinch his heart. “Do you want to hear about Ignis?”

Prompto stopped unpacking and nodded.

“Yes.”

***

Although the sun had set hours ago, Noctis still found the heat stifling. He had never been to a city like Lestallum before. It was different than Insomnia, the place where he had made his home for a few years. Insomnia was massive, a city where Noctis could be just another person added to the millions of inhabitants and live an unobtrusive life. But Insomnia was also suffering from fear after the country's defeat at the hands of the Niflheim Empire. When Noctis' distant relative King Mors of Lucis erected the Wall around the entire continent, then consolidated the power of the barrier over Insomnia only, the fear continued to build and almost seemed to incapacitate the city. It became cold and xenophobic and Noctis had decided it was time for him to leave. He thought he would be able to thrive in a place like Insomnia, but it just made him further disconnected from what little humanity he had left in him.

Noctis left and had chosen Lestallum. It was a booming, but still modestly sized, city that was currently experiencing massive economic growth due to a newly established power plant. Because of this, there had been an influx of immigrants from all around Eos, looking to start new lives. The city was full of creativity and opportunity and had the sense of community that Noctis was looking for; the complete opposite of Insomnia. Noctis was wondered what kind of persona he would have to embrace in order to make it in this new place.

He walked deep into the city, past the street vendors and the buskers, not really having a destination. He was trying to absorb his new surroundings: the sights, smells, sounds. He made his way to the bazaar. Even at the late hour, it was still full of people. There was so much going on that he began to feel anxious. He dipped into a nearby alleyway, trying to put some distance between himself and the market. He ended up in a near what he assumed was the power plant entrance and saw a group of women talking and smoking cigarettes. Even dressed in the drab women’s workwear of gigantic overalls and hair turbans, they were beautiful. As Noctis made his way closer, a voluptuous brown skinned woman turned her attention to him.

“Hey, baby,” she catcalled. “What dummy let you out of her sight?”

“I…” He was unsure of how to reply. “I’m new here.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice.” She flicked her cigarette and looked him up and down. “We don’t dress like that here, mi amigo. Aren’t you hot?”

He looked down at his clothes, then back at her.

“You need to see Ignis,” she continued. “He’s my brother’s tailor. Prime stuff. He’ll hook you up. Make your way back to the center of town and go down the street near the Surgate’s Beanmine restaurant. You’ll see his shop. You won’t be able to miss it. Tell him Emilia sent you.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

Emilia nodded then looked Noctis up and down, once more.

“Come back when you have some new threads. Maybe we can…party.”

Noctis turned away red faced, but smiled. Things were definitely different in Lestallum.

***

He followed Emilia’s directions and landed in front of a storefront that looked nothing like any of the other stores. It had an elegant façade composed of wooden and gold elements and large glass windows. Behind the windows stood male mannequins that were dressed in expensive suits, ties and fedoras, looking more sophisticated than Noctis could ever hope to look. He could also see displays for several more pieces: casual suits, linen pants, tropical print shirts, straw hats. While attractive, the pieces weren’t really his style. But, as he dripped in sweat underneath his all black attire, he was eager to get into some new clothes.

He entered the store and the shopkeeper’s bell rang. There was no one on the floor and Noctis wandered around, looking at the merchandise and for a shop attendant simultaneously. He walked over by the counter and towards the back near a doorway leading to another, smaller room. He peeked into the room and saw a young man, altering suit pants on a mannequin propped up on a tailoring platform. The man was measuring and removing straight pins he had in his mouth, pinning various areas around the waist. Noctis knocked lightly on the door frame.

“I’m sorry, we’re closed.” The man’s voice was muffled because of the pins, but Noctis could tell that he had an unidentifiable accent. He didn’t turn away from his work.

“Um…”

The man finally looked at him. He was a little older than Noctis with light brown hair and glasses. He wore loose trousers held up by suspenders over a plain white shirt that was unbuttoned a little. He had a kind, handsome face and Noctis couldn’t help but stare at him.

“Uh…” Noctis poked a thumb towards the entrance. “The door was open.”

“Sorry,” the man said again, removing the pins. “I’m done for the day. Please come again tomorrow morning.”

“Emilia sent me,” Noctis said hurriedly, not knowing why he didn’t want to leave just yet. “Are you Ignis? She told me to see Ignis for some new clothes.”

The man chuckled, hanging his tailor’s measuring tape around his neck.

“Oh, Emmy. I can always rely on her for new customers.” He walked over to Noctis, holding out his hand. “Yes, I am Ignis. You are?”

“Noctis.” He was still staring as he shook Ignis’ hand.

“A pleasure.”

“Yeah.” Noctis cleared his throat. “I’m…I’m new here and, as you can see, I’m not really dressed appropriately. I didn’t think it would be this hot.”

“Yes, you are definitely poorly dressed and, yes, it is very hot.” He looked at Noctis’ clothes. “From what I can see, you are from Insomnia? I recognize the stitching on the pants.”

“That’s correct,” said Noctis, impressed.

“What brings you here, if you don’t mind me asking?”

_I’m being suffocated by my loneliness? I’m a vampire that actually wants to make friends with humans instead of eat them? My tan is really horrible?_

“Work.”

“Ah.” Ignis walked back over to the platform and removed the mannequin. “Well, if you need it, you will find it here. Just not at the power plant. Only women work there. Come stand on this platform, please.”

Noctis didn’t move.

“I wasn’t really expecting to get fitted right now.” He was sweaty and gross and didn’t want Ignis touching him.

Ignis set down the mannequin.

“Am I keeping you from something important? Or do you not want my services after all?”

“No, I don’t. I mean…yes.” Noctis stammered. “No, I don’t have anything important. Yes, I do want your services. I just thought we’d talk and set something up for later.”

“Well, there is no time like the present. You look very uncomfortable, as well. I can measure you now and see if I have anything ready that is already on the floor.”

Noctis was still hesitant, but agreed.

“Okay.”

He walked over to the tailoring platform, looking at Ignis again. Ignis smiled and grabbed his measuring tape.

“Don’t be shy. Step up.”

Noctis did so and turned to face the mirror. He removed his jacket and Ignis took it from him, setting it aside on a nearby chair.

“Hmm.” Ignis was looking at him, thinking.

“Something wrong?”

“There’s too much fabric and leather here for me to get an accurate measurement,” said Ignis. Noctis knew where Ignis was going with his statement and was getting nervous. “Do you feel comfortable enough to take your clothes off?”

_Fuck no._

“Uh…” Noctis looked around. “Where can I change?”

Ignis pointed to a tiny area concealed by a curtain. Noctis entered it and began removing his clothes with slightly unsteady hands. He returned to the platform feeling an almost disabling sense of self-consciousness.

“That’s better,” said Ignis as he began to measure.

“I’m sorry I’m so sweaty.”

“We are all sweaty here. No big deal.”

Noctis nodded, watching Ignis in the mirror. Ignis looked like he was focusing intently and Noctis didn’t want to disturb him, but he liked the sound of his voice. He made a poor attempt to start a conversation.

“So, how many sweaty men in their underwear do you get on average?”

“Quite a lot, actually.” Ignis walked to table and grabbed a small notebook, writing measurements down. “This market has been very good to me. I had no idea that I would be so successful with my career change.”

“Career change?” Noctis was intrigued. “What did you used to do?”

Ignis returned to the platform.

“I was a chef. Step down, please.” Noctis stepped down and Ignis began measuring his torso. “I owned my own restaurant in Tenebrae. That is where I’m originally from, if you couldn’t tell by the accent.”

Noctis didn’t know what Tenebraeans sounded like, but he supposed he did now.

“What was your specialty?”

“I didn’t really specialize in anything particular, but I enjoyed baking very much.” Ignis stopped measuring and made eye contact with Noctis in the mirror. “I always enjoyed making a specific dessert. It was a vol-au-vent, which is basically a puffed pastry, filled with Ulwaat berries. My deceased sister used to love it every time I made it, so it reminds me of her. It was like a trip down memory lane whenever I baked it. I actually called it ‘Memory Lane Pastry’ but it has no true name in the culinary world.”

He ducked his head and laughed, embarrassed.

“I’m sorry. I did not mean to tell you my life’s story.”

“It’s all right.”

Ignis went back to measuring. Noctis started to enjoy the feeling of Ignis’ fingertips graze his skin. He tried to continue the conversation to keep his mind off of it.

“What made you want to become a tailor?”

“I just needed something different. I wanted to see if I was good at anything else. I still cook sometimes. Emilia’s brother owns a popular nightclub here and, once in a while, I’ll cook in his kitchen. But it is more of a hobby instead of a profession, now.” He paused. “You should stop by sometime. It’s called Buena Vista, located on the next block.”

“That sounds…fun.”

“I would be more than happy to show you around Lestallum if that interests you.” Ignis wrote down some more measurements in his book. “I know what it is like to be new person in a strange place.”

Noctis thought it was more the other way around in his case.

“Thank you, Ignis.”

“Quite welcome.” He patted Noctis on the back. “You are in luck. I have a few pieces in your size, on the floor. I’ll have you look at them once you get dressed. I can also order and tailor some pieces for you, if you’d like to review the catalogue and the pricing tomorrow.”

“No need.” Money was immaterial when one could acquire and save it for thousands of years. “I have no budget. Just order what you think would look the best.”

“My kind of customer. I’ll leave you to dress. Come up front when you are ready.”

Noctis got dressed and walked to the front to see Ignis setting various pieces and accessories on the counter. They were mostly casual pieces in subdued colors, which Noctis was thankful for. There was also a deep sapphire blue suit that looked very expensive.

“This is nice,” said Noctis, running his hand over the suit.

“For when you go to the club,” responded Ignis. “That is, if you want to. They don’t let anyone in that doesn’t look like a snobby socialite.”

“I can’t wait.”

“It will be fun, I promise. At least, it is whenever I am around.” Ignis smirked, then removed a card from his pocket. He handed it to Noctis. “Reference this if you need lodging. The Leville is the nicest hotel here. Make sure to mention me.”

“Does everyone in this town receive referral bonuses or something?”

“No. But, we look out for each other. We’ll look out for you, too.”

***

Noctis waited four days before returning to Ignis’ shop.

“Why, hello.” Ignis was at the front counter. “I thought I scared you away.”

“No. You didn’t. I was actually wondering if your offer to show me around still stands.”

Ignis looked mildly surprised.

“Of course. I was just about to close for the night. Would you like to go to the club? It is still pretty early, so there won’t be much of a crowd. I prepared something for tonight’s dinner selection, last night. You can try it out and see if it pleases you.”

“Yeah. I’d like that a lot.”

“Any dietary restrictions?”

“No. Just taste. I hate vegetables.”

“You sound like my five-year-old nephew.” He rose from his seat from the counter. “Good thing there are none in tonight’s dish. Come on, let’s get ready.”

They arrived at Buena Vista about an hour later, Noctis in his blue suit and Ignis in a well-fitted gray pinstriped one. The bouncer greeted them jovially and ushered them in ahead of the growing line that was outside of the entrance. Almost instantly, a tall man in a flashy suit appeared out of nowhere and grabbed Ignis into a hug, planting a kiss on a cheek.

“Iggy, my brother,” the man greeted, pulling back and clapping a hand on Ignis’ shoulder. “Qué pasa?”

“Not much.” Ignis turned to Noctis. “Elian, this is Noctis. He’s new here. Noctis, meet Elian, the owner of this club and Emilia’s brother.”

Elian grabbed Noctis’ hand and shook it vigorously, then grabbed him for a hug as well. When Noctis just stood stiffly in his arms, Elian laughed.

“I’m a hugger. Get used to it.”

He led the two to Ignis’ usual table. It was a large round booth with plush, soft leather and expensive linen. Noctis was surprised to see something so luxurious in a nightclub. He and Ignis slid in the booth and Elian followed in behind them, pulling out a cigar.

“You know why this club is called Buena Vista?” Ignis sighed theatrically as if he had heard the story many times. Elian slung an arm around Noctis’ shoulders and pointed at the dance floor with his cigar. “Because, boy, the views sure are good when the cabaret ladies get on the floor. This table has perfect line of sight, too. Why do you think ol’ Iggy chose it, eh?”

“Elian, please.” He raised a hand and Noctis could see a waiter begin to walk over. Elian laughed.

“I’m just fucking with you, Iggy. I’ll leave you two alone.” He pulled Noctis closer and squeezed. “Nice to meet you.”

“You too.” Noctis felt dazed. Elian slid out of the booth and continued to make his rounds. Ignis shook his head.

“Apologies. He is a little…excessive.” He was silent for a moment. “You seem like you don’t get out much. I hope this is not too overwhelming for you.”

It was, but in a good way. Everyone had been so nice to him ever since he had arrived in Lestallum. It was so different from what he was used to and it would take some time for him to adjust.

“I’m fine.”

The waiter arrived at the table and Ignis ordered them food.

“I’ve requested a little something to drink, too.”

The only thing Noctis drank was blood, so he didn’t foresee the situation ending well. The waiter returned with two shot glasses and a bottle of clear liquor. Soon after, two waitresses arrived with plates of food. It was a beautifully plated meal of fish, but Noctis groaned at the bed of vegetables the fish was placed upon.

“Whoops. I suppose I lied about the vegetables. Just eat them anyway, they’re good.” He pointed at the fish with a fork. “This is a grilled wild Barramundi dish. Not sure if you’ve ever had the fish before.”

“I have. I fish a lot and Barramundi is actually my favorite. I think I’m singlehandedly diminishing their population.”

“Well. I hope I’ve done it justice.” Ignis grabbed the bottle of liquor, pouring it into the glasses. “But first, alcohol.” He slid a glass to Noctis who reluctantly lifted it. Ignis lifted his.

“To…you,” said Ignis. “Welcome home. I hope you like it.”

Noctis smiled. Their glasses clinked and they tipped their shots back. Noctis almost instantly spit it out but forced it down instead, feeling his arms break out in goosebumps. He squinted and slammed his glass onto the table.

“I’m not much of a drinker,” he squeaked out.

“Oh, you will be, soon. Especially if you hang around here.”

Ignis poured them another shot.

“What is this, Ignis?”

“The best tequila you’ll ever have. Bottoms up.”

They took their shots and the second tasted just as miserable as the first, but Noctis began to feel his face grow pleasantly warm.

“Okay,” said Ignis, setting the bottle and glasses aside. “Let us eat.”

Noctis moaned with delight as he ate the fish. He had no idea that Barramundi could taste so good. He almost tried some of his vegetables, but decided against it. There was nothing Ignis could do to make him eat those.

“Ignis. That was wonderful. Please go back to cooking full time.”

“I am very glad you liked it,” he replied. The waiter cleared the plates. “I hope you like the dessert as well. It’s the Memory Lane Pastry I told you about.”

The pastries arrived after a few moments and Noctis looked at the plate in awe. The perfectly shaped golden puffs of pastry were topped with a dusting of powdered sugar and framed by what Noctis assumed were Ulwaat berries.

“It’s so…pretty. I don’t want to eat it.”

Ignis laughed as a waitress poured them some coffee.

“Please do.”

Noctis did and ended up eating almost half of the plate. Ignis raised an eyebrow as he sipped his coffee.

“Do you eat like this all the time? I don’t know where you put it, if you do.”

_It’s a little something called the Vampire Diet. Ever heard of it?_

“No. Your stuff is just that good.”

Ignis looked at Noctis and gave a half-smile. He was embarrassed.

“Oh, please.” He looked away and grabbed the tequila bottle again. “Less flattery, more drinking.”

They started drinking again. The heat was spreading from Noctis' face and made its way throughout his entire body. He began to feel an unusual, yet gratifying, sense of being adrift. It was comparable to how he felt when he would feed after fasting for a while. The room was buzzing with the voices and laughter of more people as the area around the dance floor began to fill up. The lights dimmed and the people began cheering. Noctis looked at Ignis, confused.

“What’s going on?” He yelled over the cheers.

“The cabaret,” said Ignis. “There’s a cabaret show every night. You should see Emmy, actually. I do not mean to be crude, but…there is really no possibility of missing her.”

Men in bow ties and white suits began to walk onto a platform that Noctis didn’t even notice was there. On it were music stands and the band promptly picked their instruments up and began playing. The blare of trumpets filled the club and scantily clad women suddenly filled the stage, twirling around in their sequined costumes and massive, colorful feathered headpieces. It looked like a rainbow threw up on them and Noctis thought it was great. He certainly could see Emilia; she was apparently the lead girl and was dancing in the front center of the line in a different color costume than the rest. Noctis saw two big reasons why she was the lead. The music began to crescendo as more instruments were added to the song and people were beginning to dance along the side of the floor. The combination of the atmosphere and the alcohol was starting to make Noctis feel excited.

“This is really fun!” Noctis leaned over and yelled to Ignis over the music. Ignis nodded and smiled a knowing smile. “Do you dance?”

“Not even if my life depended on it,” he yelled back.

“Good. Same here.” Noctis reached for the bottle. “Gimme that.”

They continued to drink and Noctis could feel himself get drunker. He couldn’t help but sway to the beat of the music and he briefly considered getting up and dancing, contrary to what he had said. He was relaxed and having so much fun; everyone else in the club seemed to be doing the same. No one cared what he was doing, no one was even looking at him. Nobody would care if he looked stupid. He thought about asking Ignis if he wanted to dance when he suddenly felt like he was being rammed by a Behemoth. He gasped and slammed back on the booth’s seat as the smell of all of the club patrons blood came rushing to him. He began to pant as his mind raced as it tried to regulate all of his enhanced senses. Ignis grabbed his arm, concerned.

“Noctis?”

Noctis looked at him with wide eyes. He could smell Ignis too. His scent was strong and Noctis was mortified as his fangs involuntarily extended. He felt something trickle down his top lip.

“Noctis!” Ignis wiped at Noctis’ nose. He pulled back a bloodied thumb. “Come on!”

He dragged Noctis through the crowd and made his way through the kitchen area, choosing to take the back exit instead of the front main one. They ended up in a deserted alley and Noctis was thankful to not be around anyone else other than Ignis. He was beginning to calm down and felt his fangs retract.

“I am so, so sorry,” apologized Ignis. “I should have never forced you to drink.”

“I don’t think it was from the alcohol. I just get really bad headaches sometimes.” But Noctis figured that it was. He was assuming that it had something to do with the lowered inhibitions and his excitement. It was also possible that he was just hungry. He hadn’t left Lestallum to hunt any animals since he arrived. “I’m an adult, anyway. You didn’t make me do anything.”

Ignis removed the pocket square from his breast pocket. He moved close to Noctis and started dabbing gently at his nose and upper lip. Noctis let him, enjoying Ignis' proximity.

“I would like to be your friend,” Ignis said softly, out of the blue. He dropped his handkerchief and moved a little closer. “Would that be okay?”

“Yes. I want to be yours, too.”

Ignis smiled broadly.

“Wonderful.” He tugged on Noctis’ hand. “Let’s get you back to the Leville.”

***

“We were inseparable,” said Noctis to Prompto. Their food had been forgotten once Noctis started his story. Like the night before, Prompto sat there listening to him completely enraptured. “I was always at his shop after the sun set or we’d go to Buena Vista. He would visit me at the Leville and we’d play cards. He liked to draw, so I would sit for him sometimes. We got really close.”

“Did he ever ask why you never went out during the day?”

“He did, once. I made some excuse and he accepted it. I think we were just happy to spend time together, regardless of what time of day it was.”

“When did you two realize you were falling in love with each other?”

Noctis looked down, watching as he twirled a blade of grass in between his fingers.

“Probably about nine months after we first met. By that time, I was living with him. He had an apartment above his shop. Sometimes, I would help him with his work. I’d sit in the back rooms where there were no windows and help him balance his books, place orders. Boring stuff. He became very successful and we ended up moving to a bigger shop. I remember us packing one night when everything came out.”

***

The two were in the front of the store, packing several boxes. Ignis’ popularity was growing and extending outside of Lestallum; people from all over would actually travel to the city just for his services. Inevitably, profits grew and, after much consideration, Ignis had decided to move to a bigger storefront.

“I had no idea there was so much to pack.” He threw a bag of unused pin cushions into a box. Noctis shook his head and removed them.

“I had no idea you were such a hoarder. You obviously don’t need these. They’re unopened and covered in dust.”

“Very true.” He got up and walked to the counter, which had several packages on top of it. He looked at a large white box and saw that it was addressed to him. “What’s this?”

“Oh yeah,” said Noctis. “That came today. I’m sorry, I forgot to tell you.”

Ignis opened it and made a happy sound.

“They are suits that I ordered. Emmy is getting married in a week. I was worried that I wouldn’t get them in time.” He bit his lip. “I ordered two because I was wondering if you would like to go with me.”

Noctis couldn’t think of anything he would want to do more.

“Oh, I guess. If you insist. But only if you try on your suit. I want to see it.”

Ignis rolled his eyes but still grabbed the box. He made his way to the back and after a while, emerged from the dressing room in a black three-piece suit.

“I didn’t put the bow tie on. Just use your imagination.” He walked over to Noctis and twirled sarcastically. “So? Do you accept my invitation?”

Noctis said nothing as he stood up from his chair and got closer to Ignis. He reached out and rubbed a sleeve.

“You know,” he began, continuing to rub Ignis’ arm. “It’s funny that I work for, quite possibly, the best tailor in Lucis, but I know nothing about style myself. What’s this fabric called?”

“Velvet.” Ignis was quiet.

Noctis kept telling himself to stop, but his hands were moving of their own volition. They made their way to the several buttons on the front of Ignis’ jacket, roaming over them and the lapels.

“Now, I think this is a double-breasted suit, right? What’s the difference between this and a single-breasted suit?”

“More buttons.” Ignis licked his lips as Noctis began unbuttoning the jacket. “Different lapels; peak instead of wide. A little more formal.”

Noctis removed the jacket and set it gently on the chair behind him. He ran his fingertips along the vest that was underneath.

“Is this why they call it a three-piece suit? Because of the vest?”

“Yes.”

“It’s nice.” Noctis began removing it.

“Noctis,” Ignis whispered, placing a hand over his. “You don’t know…”

“I do,” he insisted. “I do know what I’m doing.”

He removed the vest and slowly unbuttoned Ignis’ shirt, rubbing his fingertips against hot skin. He spread the shirt open and leaned over to kiss Ignis’ chest.

“Noctis...”

“What thread count is this shirt? I’ve heard you say that term sometimes.” He circled a tongue around a nipple, making Ignis gasp. “What does that even mean?”

“The higher the count, the higher the quality and price. Fuck, who cares?”

Noctis snickered. Ignis very rarely cursed.

“I need to know if I’m going to be your apprentice.”

Ignis shrugged off his shirt and Noctis began to unbuckle his pants, pushing them down. He stuck his hand down the front of his underwear and Ignis moaned, leaning his head back. Noctis took the opportunity to lean in and press his lips against his neck, kissing and licking it as he tried to ignore the feeling of Ignis’ heartbeat pulse underneath his tongue. He felt an urge that frightened him and he abruptly pulled away.

“Noctis?”

“I…think we should move somewhere else. I’m pretty sure you don’t want to roll around on cardboard boxes.”

Ignis nodded and pulled up his pants. Noctis took a deep breath and tried to compose himself as they walked to a spare room in the back that had a small bed. Noctis pushed Ignis back onto the bed and, as they both began to undress, Ignis spoke.

“Are you sure you want to do this? I do not want anything to change between us.”

“Ignis, stop.”

Ignis looked like he wanted to say something else and Noctis sighed, throwing his hands up.

“I know you are different,” said Ignis. His tone was cautious. “I know why you are never seen during the day.”

Noctis held his breath. He felt his legs weaken.

“What?”

“I know this is not really the time and, please, do not be mad.” Ignis sat up. “But, I followed you one night. Remember when you were very ill about a month ago, yet you left your room in the middle of the night? I followed you. You didn’t stray far so I was able to keep up with you. I saw you feed on some animals.”

Noctis sat wordlessly on the bed. He couldn’t believe that he didn’t sense Ignis’ presence.

“What exactly are you, Noctis?”

“I’m a strigoi.” Noctis struggled not to cry. “It’s a monster that--”

“I’m aware of what they are.” Ignis sat up completely and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He scooted next to Noctis. “But you are not one.”

“Then what am I?” He felt a streak of blood slide down a cheek.

“You’re just Noctis.”

Ignis leaned over and kissed him tenderly. Noctis started to cry harder and when Ignis pulled away, there was blood on his cheeks. Noctis wiped Ignis’ face, then his own.

“I’m sorry about the blood.”

“I couldn’t care less.”

"Are you afraid to be with me now?"

"Never."

Ignis kissed him again and nudged Noctis back onto the bed. Ignis lay on top of Noctis and they continued to kiss. The kisses were slow and deep as they tried to savor the feeling of each other’s lips for the very first time. Noctis roamed his hands along Ignis’ body, pressing it closer to his own. Ignis began kissing Noctis' ear and started making his way down.

“Have you ever done this before?” Ignis whispered against Noctis’ neck.

There was a rush of painful memories.

“No.”

“Neither have I. I am glad it is with you.”

Noctis brought a hand up to thread his fingers through Ignis’ hair.

“I am too.”

They kissed and touched some more but Noctis quickly became impatient.

“I want you, Ignis.”

Ignis nodded, removing his glasses, and they took off the last of their clothing. The bed creaked as they shifted around and got under the covers. Noctis’ body vibrated with anticipation and he spread his legs. Ignis positioned himself between them, rubbing a hand along a thigh. He leaned over to kiss Noctis again. Noctis felt a shock within his chest as if his heart had burst open and was overflowing with love. He wrapped his arms around Ignis’ neck, pulling him closer and whispering against his lips.

“I love you.”

He could feel Ignis gently enter him. It felt better than he anticipated and he moaned, letting go of Ignis and gripping his own hair with a hand. Ignis began moving slowly and they both cried out as they felt the beginnings of pleasure.

“I love you, Noctis.”

They began to make love. Noctis felt his body heat rise as they continued to move under the covers. He started to clutch at Ignis; feeling as if Ignis was the incarnation of what he had been trying to so desperately grab hold of all these years. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, but opened them back up, wanting to look at Ignis instead. They made eye contact and Ignis’ sweaty, flushed face was soft and full of adoration.

“You are not alone anymore,” he said.

He pulled up on Noctis’ legs and Noctis wrapped them around his hips. Noctis’ breath hitched as he felt the penetration deepen. Ignis leaned forward on his hands and changed his position and the angle of his thrusts. Noctis moaned as the penetration became even deeper. Any deeper, he would be able to penetrate his soul.

Their movements began to speed up as they were nearing the unavoidable, bitter end of their lovemaking. Noctis felt his arousal peak and transform into some kind of primal heat that was swelling into a wave. A sense of vertigo began seep into his arousal and created a cyclone of animalistic desires he couldn’t contain. He began to grow fearful as he experienced a heightened sense of smell that happened only when he was very excited or had an urgent need to feed. He detected Ignis’ scent and felt his mind stretch and mold itself into something different. Something that easily imagined himself piercing the soft flesh of Ignis’ neck. He felt tortured as he was fighting his desires while also approaching his orgasm. Noctis reached between the two of them and grabbed his forgotten erection, moving his hand along it rapidly, thinking his sinister thoughts would subside after he came.

“I’m about to come,” Ignis gasped.

“Me too.” He hoped. Oh, how he hoped.

Noctis ended up coming first. His entire body froze, then shook, and he screamed. He was relieved as he felt his mind go back to normal almost immediately, but his orgasm continued. Noctis rarely touched himself after the experience with Ardyn, so long ago. Whenever he did, it was out of sheer physical necessity. He had never experienced an orgasm of such pleasure and such magnitude and it frightened him, causing him to cry after he was done. He didn’t know how to process the feeling -- he wasn’t sure if his brain was even properly equipped to do so -- and he was unable to hold back his tears. Ignis came shortly after and pulled Noctis into his neck, rolling them onto their sides and cradling him. Noctis could hear him begin to cry as well. He grabbed Noctis’ face in his hands and kissed all over it, tasting his blood.

“Be with me, forever.” Noctis said the words before he could stop himself. Ignis nodded.

“I will never leave you.”

***

“You don’t have to continue, Noctis.” Prompto wasn’t sure he could take much more of seeing him in pain. Noctis shrugged.

“I can’t cry any more tears over him. They’re all gone.”

Noctis sat back on his hands and gazed at the stars, wishing that he could just float among them and into a state of oblivion. Prompto studied his face for a while and felt his heart break.

“What happened next?” He was ashamed to ask, but he had to know.

“We lived together for almost ten years.” He exhaled and looked at Prompto. “Then, I killed him.”


	7. I Carry Your Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis reveals his lover's tragic fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ugh. I just have no words after this chapter.
> 
> The poem at the beginning is "[[i carry your heart with me(i carry it in]](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/poems/detail/49493)" by E.E. Cummings.
> 
> WARNING: Major character death, suicidal ideations, knife/blood play, and (erotic) cutting.
> 
> Enjoy!

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go,my dear;and whatever is done

by only me is your doing,my darling)

                                                      i fear

no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

 

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

 

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

 

 

Prompto felt sadness envelop him once again as he heard Noctis’ words. He didn’t know why he was surprised. He knew long before Noctis had started speaking that the story about Ignis wouldn’t end in any way other than tragically.

“Come on, Noctis. Let’s fish. You don’t have to say any more.”

Prompto stood up from the ground, dusting himself off. He then smiled the smile that he always used when he tried to hide how he truly felt. It was a weak attempt to mask the pain that was beginning to permeate his entire being. He held out a hand, but Noctis didn’t budge.

“I don’t want to. I’ve started telling you the story. I need to finish.”

***

Noctis and Ignis lay in bed, embracing each other after making love. Ignis his fingers along Noctis’ sweaty brow and looked at him with concern.

“You do not look well,” said Ignis. “Have you been feeding regularly?”

“Yes.” But Noctis hadn’t been. There had been some kind of change in the animals surrounding Lestallum. Their blood had been making him sick and was causing his body to reject it. He would vomit immediately after feeding then make his way back to the city, weak and unfulfilled. He didn’t have the energy to search for animals elsewhere and estimated that he hadn’t fed properly in over two weeks.

“Liar.” Ignis sat up. “You’re paler than ever. What is going on?”

“I’m fine.” Noctis reached up to touch Ignis, but his hand felt too heavy and he dropped it onto the mattress.

“Stop.” Ignis sounded calm, but his eyes betrayed him. “You are not fine. Are you…” He rubbed his lips together. “Are you dying? I did not think that was possible.”

“It’s not.” Noctis shifted and propped himself against the bed’s headboard. “Not on my own, at least.” He figured there was no real reason for him to withhold the truth. “I haven’t been feeding. I haven’t eaten well in two weeks.”

Ignis shook his head.

“Why didn’t you tell me? What is wrong?”

“The animals. There’s something wrong with them and my body’s rejecting their blood. I’m too weak to go hunt somewhere else.”

“Then I will take you. I will take you wherever you need to go.”

“It’s not your responsibility.” Noctis swallowed as he began to feel sick. He slid back underneath the covers.

“You cannot just starve, Noctis. Stop with the bravado, please!” Ignis’ frustration was finally beginning to show and he raised his voice, which was surprising. He sighed, then looked down at his hands. “You know you can--”

“No. Don’t even finish. I refuse and I wish you would stop asking me.”

“I’m not asking you to,” Ignis argued, but the both of them knew that wasn’t entirely true. “I am just making it known that the option is there.”

Noctis almost rolled his eyes. Ignis had been making it known for the past ten years.

“I wish you would consider it though,” Ignis continued. “Just enough to provide you some sustenance until you can hunt elsewhere on your own again. No more, no less.”

Noctis said nothing as he sat back up and tried to get out of bed. He did, but he ended up taking about five steps before he collapsed to the ground. Ignis was instantly by his side, cradling him.

“Noctis. Please.”

Tasting Ignis’ blood was the last thing Noctis wanted; he wasn’t sure he would be able to do it just once. But as his body lay limp in Ignis’ arms, his desperation and hunger outweighed his fear.

“Okay.”

Ignis smiled, relief evident on his face. He put Noctis back in the bed and left the bedroom for a moment. He returned with a small knife and held it up for Noctis to see.

“Is this suitable?”

“Yes.”

He crawled into bed and sat on his heels. He brought the blade to his wrist but paused.

“I do not know where to cut.”

Noctis was almost shaking with anticipation.

“The forearm,” he whispered. “Up and down, not across. Don’t go too deep, just enough to break the skin.”

Ignis followed his instructions. He slowly ran the knife along his left forearm, grunting a little as he broke skin and the blade began to leave a trail of red. Noctis began breathing rapidly as the scent of blood filled the air, reigniting his hunger with a dizzying force. Before Noctis could speak, Ignis moved closer to him, kneeling over his body, and held his forearm to his lips. Noctis tentatively licked Ignis’ wound, relishing the taste, then began to run his tongue along the expanse of the arm. Ignis sat in silence and Noctis began to suck, feeling energy rush back to him instantly. Noctis was being assaulted by so many tastes, scents, and feelings as he drank from Ignis. He moaned and pulled his arm closer. The experience was transcendent but he still wanted more.

“You can have more, if you would like,” said Ignis, reading his mind. “I trust that you will stop before you drain me.”

Noctis knew he should have stopped then but he extended his fangs without hesitation. He nuzzled Ignis’ wrist, lazily dragging his lips and tongue along it in a sloppy kiss, then stretched his jaw wider and took more of the forearm into his mouth. He moaned again as his fangs sank into hot flesh and more blood began to flow. Noctis vaguely heard Ignis cry out, but the cry ended in a low groan and he could feel a hand at the back of his head, pushing him even closer.

“Noctis…”

Noctis felt the warmth of arousal at the sound of Ignis’ voice. The sound was sensuous. Dangerous. All it did was encourage him to drink more. Everything in the room began to spin, then fade. The voice that he always made an effort to keep contained within the depths of his mind emerged and tried to convince him that the only logical thing to do was to suck Ignis dry. As he continued to feed with a renewed sense of urgency, he was close to giving in to his desires until he felt a hand quickly tap his shoulder.

“Noctis,” said Ignis. The tone of his voice had shifted from sensual to feeble.

Noctis released Ignis, feeling appalled that he let the situation escalate as fast as it did. Still, he licked his lips clean of the blood, already missing the taste of him. He looked at Ignis’ face. It was pale and the sight of it exacerbated Noctis’ feelings of guilt and selfishness.

“Ignis. I’m so sorry.”

Noctis moved his gaze from Ignis’ face to his arm. Two small puncture wounds were visible underneath the blood. He stared at them for a moment before getting out of the bed. It was as if he had been reborn and Noctis could nearly feel the vitality course through his veins again. For a horrifying moment, he began to rethink his vow of never feeding from anything but animals, but he remembered the personal hell that was created when he hunted humans with Ardyn. He dismissed the thought as he walked to the bathroom to retrieve a wet washcloth and a bandage.

“Thank you,” said Noctis, getting back in the bed and wiping Ignis gently. “I’m sorry.”

“No apologies needed.” Ignis looked slightly weak but was otherwise fine. “I…the experience was very overwhelming. In both a good and not so good way. I was just feeling out of sorts for a moment. I felt like I was going to combust.”

Noctis wrapped Ignis’ arm with the bandage.

“I told you I didn’t want to do it. It could have spun out of control, very quickly.” In reality, the situation began spinning out of control as soon as the blood touched his lips.

“But it didn’t.”

“No,” Noctis lied, securing the bandage. He looked at Ignis. “It didn’t. But, don’t ask me to do it again.”

***

It had been barely a week before Ignis asked Noctis to feed from him again.

“You’re not really asking me this question,” said Noctis. He was staring at Ignis from across their small dining room table, watching him eat his dinner nonchalantly as if he had just asked Noctis to pass the salt. “Are you? I thought I made it clear there wouldn’t be a repeat of last week. I’m not putting you at risk just so I can eat.”

Ignis set down his fork.

“I did not say it was for you. Not everything is about you.” He smirked, but it faded fast. “I liked how it felt. I want to feel it again.” He was embarrassed by his admission. “You cannot tell me that you didn’t feel something, too.”

“I can’t. You’re right. Still, it’s too dangerous and unpredictable.”

“I think I am to be the judge of what is dangerous for me and what is not.”

Noctis removed his napkin from his lap and threw it on his plate. He slid his chair back from the table and began to rise.

“I’m done with this conversation.”

“Well, I am done doing this, Noctis.” The words were unexpected and Noctis was caught off guard. “I’m done pretending that what we have is going to work.”

Noctis’ heart began to spasm and he sat back down. It took him a moment to find his voice.

“What do you mean, Ignis?”

“What I mean is what I said. This is not going to work as it is now. It cannot.”

Noctis was dazed. The familiar, wretched feeling of falling away from oneself was taking over.

“You don’t want to be with me anymore?”

“What?” There was genuine confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“You just said--”

“I want you to turn me.” The words provided Noctis some relief, but not much. “What I mean that this is not going to continue to work as it is now; as long as I am a mortal. I’m thirty-two and you will always be twenty. What happens when I become forty-two? Fifty-two? You will not want me. Even if you do, our time will be limited.”

Noctis hated when Ignis talked about death and dying. It made him ask himself why he bothered to become attached to anyone in the first place.

“You’ve never asked me this before. Why now?”

Ignis reached across the table, asking for Noctis’ hand. Noctis grabbed it, hoping that Ignis wouldn’t notice his clammy palm.

“Marry me.” His voice was quiet and scared. “I have never loved anyone as much as I love you. We can get married in Lestallum now…we do not even have to travel to Insomnia.”

Noctis could only stare at him.

“You asked me to forever be with you and I said yes. That is a promise I would like to keep.”

Noctis’ demeanor remained unchanged and Ignis began to grow concerned.

“Please say something, Noctis.”

“Something.”

Ignis frowned. Noctis finally smiled and squeezed his hand. Laughing, he stood up from his chair and pulled Ignis into his arms to give him a crushing kiss.

“I want to marry you,” said Noctis. “I want to do it soon. Just don’t ask me about the other thing again.”

“I won’t.” Ignis figured that was probably not true, but his next words were, unconditionally. “I love you.”

***

The next day, Ignis called Emilia to ask her to be their witness. Emilia was very pregnant with her third child and was due any day, but it wouldn’t feel right to either men if she weren’t there.

“You asshole,” said Emilia. “You know I’m as big as a house and can’t fit into anything.”

“I will buy you the fanciest caftan that money can buy,” Ignis negotiated. “I’ll make sure it will accommodate that beach ball of a stomach, too. Please, say you’ll be there Emmy.”

She did and, five days later, she witnessed Noctis and Ignis marry. The night was flawless, almost to the point of being cliché, and the ceremony was held in an amazing hidden courtyard that was behind the Leville. Virtually no one knew about the location except for Ignis and Emilia, who used to visit frequently when they dated.

“Did he ever tell you about that?” Emilia laughed over a flute of orange juice. Elian had closed Buena Vista off from the public so he could throw a reception and the three of them were sitting at a head table that overlooked the dancefloor. Noctis looked at Ignis, who was conveniently shoving his mouth full of cake.

“What?” Noctis looked back at Emilia who nodded. “Please...go on.”

“We dated for a while, actually. He was, of course, the perfect boyfriend. But, I always knew I wasn’t the one for him. He deserved better.”

She smiled at Noctis and he felt like crying. He was so happy and he fully understood how one could cry tears of joy. The moment was so wonderful and beautiful that it was slightly painful when Noctis realized he would never experience anything like it again.

“I’m not sure I deserve him,” Noctis confessed.

“Of course you do. You two were meant for each other.”

Emilia turned her attention away from Noctis and waved down a photographer that was passing by their table. The skinny blond teenager was holding a Brownie Hawkeye flash camera that was almost as big as him. Noctis was nervous. He had never been photographed before and he was unsure of how the flash would affect him or how he would appear in a picture.

“Hey, kid,” said Emilia. “Get a picture of me with the newlyweds.”

Emilia and Noctis switched places so she could be in between him and Ignis. She wrapped her arms around them both, planting large kisses on their mouths.

“Yum, cake,” she said after kissing Ignis. The two men scooted closer to her and the photographer began to prepare his camera. But something changed as Emilia looked at Ignis again and she felt an uncontrollable sense of sorrow overtake her. She was quickly crumbling, feeling her face grow hot.

“Hurry up and take the fucking picture.” Her voice was wavering and both Noctis and Ignis looked at her. “I have to piss. You know us pregnant ladies.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He held up his camera. “Say cheese on the count of three!”

He counted and took the picture. The strong flash did nothing to Noctis, but he still worried about the outcome of the photo; if he would even be in it. If he was, then he was certain that he had his eyes closed like a total jerk.

“Thanks kid,” said Emilia. Her voice was still off. She grabbed some gil out of a small purse and reached over the table to give the photographer a tip, pushing the money into his hand and knocking over a glass of water with her belly in the process. “Fuck.”

She then started sobbing, plopping back down in her chair and wiping at her running makeup. The striking change in mood was so unlike Emilia and Noctis and Ignis glanced at each other, mortified. Noctis attempted to console her.

“Honey, it’s just water,” he said softly.

She shook her head.

“It’s not that, dummy. I just…” She started sniffling. “It’s just that I love you guys so much, and I’m so happy for you.” She looked at Ignis and cupped his cheek. Her sobs intensified and her body shook almost violently. The men had no idea what to do.

“Ignis,” she continued. She could barely talk in between her sobs. “You’ve been so good to me. To Elian. We’ll never forget you. I’ll always love you. I’ll always be your Emmy.”

Ignis laughed, but he was clearly uncomfortable.

“You are talking like I am about to die.”

Emilia didn’t respond. She turned to look at Noctis and grabbed his hand.

“Please. Take care of him.”

“Emilia, I will.” There was an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach. “I will.”

***

After her breakdown, Emilia fixed her makeup and promptly got on the floor to dance as much as her pregnancy allowed, which wasn’t much. When she sat back down, Elian stopped by the table, smiling around his seemingly omnipresent cigar that was hanging out of the side of his mouth.

“Some gifts,” he said, handing a bottle over. It was an expensive bottle of gin, which was Ignis’ favorite. Ignis smiled and grabbed the bottle, opening it without hesitation. Noctis wasn’t much of a drinker after the incident when he visited Buena Vista for the first time, so he was pleased when a box of chocolate only found in Insomnia was revealed from behind Elian’s back. Elian looked at Emilia. “I don’t have anything for you, other than granting you the privilege of being my sister.”

Emilia flipped Elian off. They all laughed, but Noctis couldn’t help but still feel uneasy as he continued to think about what she had said earlier. Several hours later, Noctis and Ignis walked home from the party. Ignis was slung around Noctis and stumbled a little in the cobblestone alleys that they were cutting through.

“Did you enjoy your chocolate?” Ignis asked. Noctis wiggled the unopened box that was in his free hand.

“I didn’t eat any yet. Did you enjoy your gin, you drunk?”

Ignis smiled and held up a bottle that was about half full.

“Yes, immensely.” He paused and continued to speak but, this time, without mirth. “I do not know what that episode with Emmy was about. It concerns me.”

It concerned Noctis too, a lot, but he didn’t want to let it show.

“Well, unless she is a soothsayer, then it shouldn’t.”

“I suppose.”

Ignis suddenly stopped and started nudging Noctis, pushing him against a brick wall. Noctis could hear the gin slosh in the bottle as Ignis began pressing his body against him.

“Kiss me.” He angled his head as he leaned in closer. He kissed tenderly, placing several soft kisses against Noctis’ lips. The kisses transitioned from tender to teasing and Ignis pulled Noctis closer.

“You’re definitely drunk.” Noctis stated the obvious. “You’re always so rowdy when you’re drunk.”

“So, why don’t you give me something to calm down?”

Ignis ran a palm over Noctis’ crotch. They all but ran back to their apartment, barely entering the door before they began to strip each other of their tuxedos.

“I can’t believe you got me to wear this crap.” Noctis tugged at his bowtie as Ignis was divesting him of his jacket.

“I can’t believe that you are my husband,” responded Ignis as he kissed Noctis’ palm and placed it over his heart. “My husband.”

They continued to undress. They kissed roughly and ran their hands all over each other’s naked bodies as they walked to the bedroom. Ignis let Noctis push him on the bed and Noctis climbed over him. He began to slowly grind against Ignis and the both of them moaned. Noctis was already overstimulated and he began speaking in an effort to distract himself from the feeling of Ignis’ erection sliding against his own.

“You never told me where you want to go for our honeymoon.”

“I…” Ignis bit his lip and dug his fingers into Noctis’ hips. “I have not given it any thought. Going anywhere is unnecessary. Our bed is quite fine.”

“I want to get you a gift, at least.” Noctis cursed himself as soon as he said the words. They would undoubtedly open up a gateway along a path he didn’t want to traverse.

“You--oh, Noctis.” Ignis was gasping as Noctis moved harder. “You know what I want.”

Noctis did know and began to get angry again. But, as he ran his thumb over the silver band around his left ring finger, he didn’t understand why he was; why he continued to resist. If he couldn’t imagine living without Ignis before, he definitely couldn’t imagine living without him now. As he considered his options, he had stopped moving and got off of Ignis.

“Noctis?” Ignis lifted his head from the pillow, looking to see what the problem was.

“Okay.”

“Okay what?”

“I’ll turn you.” He could hear a sharp intake of breath. “I can’t deny you any longer. I never want to lose you.”

Ignis sat up and leaned against the headboard. His face contained an element of shock and disbelief.

“You could have done this a long time ago. Why have you not?”

“I just wanted you to be sure. I wanted to make sure you were granted the choice that I never was granted and be fully prepared for it.” That was only half true. There were a few particular words that Ardyn said during Noctis’ turning that provoked a sense of almost immobilizing fear whenever he thought about the possibility of turning someone on his own. “Do you still want this?”

“I do not want it. I need it, like I need air to breathe.”

Ignis grabbed Noctis for a kiss. They kissed and caressed each other, playfully rolling around on the bed, before Noctis got up.

“I’ll be right back.”

He walked out of the bedroom and returned with the same small knife that Ignis had used to cut himself two weeks ago and a towel. He made his way back to the bed and slowly and gently ran the cool blade along Ignis’ chest, circling around a nipple. Ignis moaned.

“Do you still want this?” Noctis asked for the second time.

“Yes. Please.” Ignis began panting as Noctis trailed the tip of the blade down to his navel.

Noctis tried to remember all of the danger zones on a human so he could avoid cutting them. The zones were something he became grossly acquainted with when he was with Ardyn. Ardyn would cut different areas of the body depending on how fast or slow he wanted a person to bleed out during torture sessions. He brought the blade from Ignis’ navel back up to his chest and resumed running the blade’s tip around and over a nipple. He then flipped the knife and started to draw its dull back against the skin. Ignis was looking up at the ceiling, biting his lip. The idea of not knowing what Noctis was going to do next was exhilarating.

Noctis flipped the blade over again, positioning the sharp tip against the middle of Ignis' chest. He dragged the blade back towards a nipple and began to slowly cut near it, creating a shallow wound. The smell of the blood created an intoxicating mix of hunger, arousal, and excitement.

“Lick it,” said Ignis.

Noctis thought that was a horrible idea, but he did it anyway. He leaned over and tentatively licked the wound before latching on to suck at both the nipple and the blood. He moaned at the taste as he dragged the flat of his tongue over Ignis' chest. Ignis responded with his own moan and Noctis continued to lick and suck.

“Noctis…”

Ignis pulled Noctis’ head up to get a kiss. The kiss was deep and he tasted his own blood as their tongues mingled together. Noctis broke away and clutched the knife, sliding it along Ignis’ torso. He navigated around Ignis’ straining erection to bring the tip of the blade against the top of his right thigh. He dragged the tip against the thigh and began to make small cuts into the top layers of skin, but not enough to draw blood. Ignis moaned, then cried out even more as Noctis started to create a long cut down the thigh’s length and red droplets began to form. Noctis ran his fingers along it and Ignis watched him slowly suck the blood off of his fingertips.

“Noctis, I can’t…oh…” Ignis brought his hand to his cock, moving with fluid strokes. “Do more.”

Noctis moved to Ignis’ other leg, cutting around his knee cap. He cut a little deeper than he wanted and more blood began to ooze. The stronger smell made Noctis feverish and he could feel his aroused state approach a dangerous level. He bent over to kiss and lick the knee, rubbing his face in the blood. Ignis moaned and began moving faster.

“I need you,” Ignis whispered. Noctis sat up and threw the blade to the other side of the bed. He positioned himself between Ignis’ legs and started to slowly slide into him. They both cried out and Noctis already felt himself become undone, but he managed to speak.

“I love you, Ignis,” he said as he began thrusting his hips. “I’m going to do what you asked.”

Ignis let go of himself and wrapped his arms around Noctis’ neck, pulling him closer. As they kissed and continued to make love, Noctis felt something transfer from him into Ignis as it did from Ignis into him, as if they were now -- officially and completely -- carrying a piece of each other’s heart, for all of eternity. He began to view Ignis’ turning with hope as opposed to dread and felt something indescribable as he thought about spending what was previously a miserable life of immortality with a person that he loved more than he loved himself, to the point of complete incomprehension.

They began to move harder and faster. Ignis rubbed his body against Noctis, smearing the blood on the both of them even more. His hand reached between them and closed his eyes as he began stroking himself again at a rapid pace. He gave a loud shout and his face and chest began to flush.

“Noctis,” he groaned. “I’m about to come.”

Noctis nodded and extended his fangs. He wanted to bite Ignis while he was orgasming, hoping that the pleasure would detract from the bite’s pain. However, Noctis thought with amusement that the bite might actually make his orgasm more pleasurable. He leaned over into the crook of Ignis’ hot and pulsating neck and swallowed hard. He turned his head to whisper in his ear as he sped up his thrusts. He was getting close, too.

“Come for me.”

Ignis wailed and stiffened, and Noctis could feel a wet warmth beginning to spread between them. Noctis moaned and opened his mouth wide, clamping it down on Ignis’ neck. Ignis cried out again, but Noctis was unsure if it was due to pleasure or pain. He didn’t really care as he felt the most powerful orgasm he’d ever had rush out of him as Ignis’ blood began to rush in. Noctis sucked Ignis until he had the necessary amount of blood, then released him. Ignis began to gasp on his pillow that was now becoming a deep red. Noctis quickly grabbed the discarded blade and slit his wrist, creating a heavy blood flow.

“Drink.” He held his wrist to Ignis’ mouth. “Don’t overdo it. You’ll get more later.”

Ignis sat up from the pillow and started lapping weakly at the wrist. Noctis encouraged Ignis to drink until he could see a slight improvement in the color of his skin. He pulled away and Ignis fell against the pillow.

“Noctis.” His voice was very weak. “What is going to happen to me?”

Noctis fought the urge to say he didn’t know. He really didn’t, as he had never turned anyone before. All he could base it on was his own experience. He hoped that Ignis’ would turn out to be better than that.

“You’re not going to feel very well,” said Noctis, running a hand through Ignis’ hair. Ignis still had his glasses on, which were almost completely covered in blood. Noctis removed them. “But, it will pass. I promise.” He leaned over to give Ignis a kiss on the forehead. “I love you. Let me clean you up so you can sleep.”

He cleaned the sheets and tended to Ignis in silence. He knew that Ignis didn’t feel well and wasn’t going to force him to speak. But, there were a few dreadful times that Noctis couldn’t tell if Ignis was breathing or not. He would feel frenzied and shake Ignis until he heard him mumble incoherently. After every scare, Noctis sighed and wondered how he would be able to handle the entire turning experience without going insane.

Once Noctis finished cleaning up, he pulled a plush sitting chair near the bed. He had no plans to leave Ignis’ bedside. He sat for a while and just watched Ignis sleep. It didn’t do much in terms of decreasing his anxiety, so he tried to read instead. He grabbed one of Ignis’ books about the art of tea. It was actually very interesting and Noctis read for almost two hours until he heard Ignis move. He set the book aside.

“Ignis!”

He groaned and Noctis leaned over the edge of the bed to grab his hand. Noctis saw his eyes blink rapidly as he tried to sit up. Ignis ended up leaning on his left elbow, facing Noctis. He looked fine. Noctis remembered how he felt upon waking up for the first time after he was bitten and he wasn’t sure if Ignis' current state was a good or a bad thing.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, actually. I feel fine. Are you sure it worked?”

Noctis wasn’t sure, but he knew he performed the same process that Ardyn did for him.

“The process isn’t done yet. Just stay in bed. I’ll get you something to drink.”

Noctis returned with some water and Ignis drained the glass. When Noctis brought him a second glass, Ignis was sitting up in the bed, resting against a mound of pillows. He looked at Noctis; his smiling face looked healthy. There were no visible signs of sickness or pain. Barring the two puncture wounds visible on his neck, Ignis looked completely normal.

“Thank you,” said Ignis as he grabbed the glass of water. Noctis sat back down.

“Are you okay?”

Ignis chuckled.

“You asked me that already.”

“And I’m asking you again.” Noctis was skeptical. “Are you?”

“Yes.” Ignis sat the glass down on the nightstand and reached for Noctis. “I am. Do not worry. I will tell you if I feel any different.”

Noctis was satisfied with that answer for the time being. They held hands and began to speak. They spoke about nothing of real value, yet it meant everything to Noctis. To hear Ignis' voice and to see that he was experiencing his turning with relative ease made Noctis happy. To think about Ignis as a fully transformed strigoi made Noctis even happier. He was unsure if the time it took to transform was consistent across the board but, if it was, Ignis’ turning would be finished in less than 72 hours.

When they began talking about their future together and possibly leaving Lestallum to travel to Tenebrae or Altissia, they heard the chime of the grandfather clock in the living room. It was six in the morning. It had been about six hours since Noctis bit Ignis.

“Are you hungry?” Noctis asked, standing up from his chair. “I can fix you something to eat if you still have an appetite.”

“I would like that. Did we manage to draw the curtains last night?” Every window in the apartment was equipped with heavy curtains that blocked out almost all of the sun during the day. Ignis paused after he asked his question, then laughed. “I imagine I will have to ensure they are closed for me now, too.”

Noctis nodded.

“I’ll be back.” He looked at Ignis for a moment, then rushed to the side of the bed, taking Ignis’ face in his hands. He kissed Ignis as if they would never see each other again. In the end, Noctis supposed that he always knew. He broke away.

“I love you. If I could properly articulate my love for you, even the gods would weep.”

“I love you, so much, Noctis.”

Noctis gave him a quick kiss and made his way to the kitchen. He was a horrible cook, but he always tried his best when he had to cook for Ignis. Even with his refined palate, Ignis could lie to Noctis with a convincing face when he said the food was good. He made some plain toast and a sunny-side-up egg, taking care to not break the yolk. He was going to make some coffee, but he remembered reading that coffee acts as a natural blood thinner in addition to being a stimulant, so he chose orange juice. As he arranged the food on a tray and began to walk back to the bedroom, he heard Ignis scream. The screams were wild and constant and Noctis felt his heart stop. He dropped the tray, shattering its contents, and ran to the bedroom. He almost fell as he slid on the wooden floor and into the room. He stumbled to the bed, jumping on top of it, and tried to hold Ignis down, who was rolling around and clutching his eyes as if he had seen something terrifying.

“Ignis!” Noctis was still struggling to hold him down. “Ignis! What’s wrong?”

“I’m blind,” he whispered, then screamed. “I’m blind, I’m blind. Noctis, I can’t see!”

Noctis let go of him and sat back. He frantically looked around the room, as if someone or something would magically appear to help him. He reached back down to Ignis’ body, forcing his hands down and away from his face. Noctis whimpered as he saw bloody tears stream from opaque eyes. The eyes were wide and searching for a world that they could and would no longer see. Noctis began to cry too, and he felt himself begin to fall down the rabbit hole of unreality. He tried to fight the dissociation for Ignis’ sake.

“Noctis, what is going on? Please, tell me what to do.”

The sound of Ignis begging and sobbing drove a dagger into Noctis’ heart. Noctis tried to silence his own sobs. He didn’t want Ignis to feed off of his fear. It was difficult, as Noctis had no idea what to say or do. He did the only thing he could do, which was hope that what he would say next would turn out to be true.

“Calm down,” said Noctis. He tried to steady Ignis once more. “Just let this happen. I know it is painful, but it needs to happen. It’s a part of the process.”

That seemed to placate Ignis and his body stilled. Noctis rubbed his head and Ignis began to calm down. He was still and silent to the point where Noctis believed that he was asleep. Noctis foolishly let himself relax and grow comfortable enough to leave his side. He was about to go to the bathroom to wet a washcloth when Ignis began moving again. Noctis became panicked as Ignis began to tense his body and vibrate, then convulse violently as he began to have a seizure. Noctis ran back to the bed, throwing his body over him. He felt utterly hopeless again and, as Ignis began to scream, he screamed along with him.

***

Noctis watched Ignis’ health deteriorate. It was after noon the following day when the both of them came to the realization that the turning was not going to work. Noctis had tried several times to get Ignis to feed again, but there had been no change in his condition like there had been for him. Ignis struggled to speak.

“I am rejecting it, Noctis.”

Noctis had watched Ignis transition to something that could only be described as a near-death state. His once healthy body was now weak and pallid. Noctis heard him struggle with each breath he took. His mind was weakening along with his body. He was still blind and, sometimes, Ignis would have lapses in mental acuity and forget things, like the fact that he could no longer see. He would scream as if he was learning of his blindness for the first time, every time. His screams echoed within Noctis’ brain and Noctis wished that he could end his own life if it meant he would never have to hear Ignis howl again.

Noctis had been crying profusely. He did nothing to stop it and he looked as if he bathed in blood. As he continued to watch Ignis die, he wondered how they had ended up in their current situation. Everything was going so well; everything felt so right that it seemed like it was almost destiny for Ignis to turn so that he could be with Noctis forever. But, Noctis knew better. He always knew, in the back of his mind, that a situation that ended with the death of Ignis was the only situation that would ever play out for him and that fate was not his friend. The only thing he was fated for was misery. He remembered what Ardyn had said to him during his turning.

_You will die, but be reborn as a superior being…if it works. There is a chance it will not._

“Noctis.” Ignis was beginning to sound worse.

“Don’t speak. Save your energy.”

“It is not working. Please help me.”

Noctis closed his eyes. He began audibly sobbing again. Ignis tried to move a trembling hand in his general direction to comfort him.

“I can’t.”

“Please.”

“I can’t, Ignis! I can’t let you go.”

Ignis began coughing and Noctis could see some blood spattered on his lips. He smiled an almost ghastly smile.

“I am sorry I cannot keep my promise to you, after all. If you should ever leave this planet somehow, I will be waiting for you.”

Noctis grabbed Ignis’ hand and kissed it.

“But…” Ignis continued. He was desperate to hang on long enough to say all that he needed to say. “If you do not…please find happiness. Find someone else that makes you remember how it is to love and be loved.”

Noctis wept. He got into the bed and sat atop Ignis.

“I love you. I love you! I’m so sorry!”

Ignis was able to nod one last time and Noctis slowly wrapped his fingers around his neck.

“I love you, Noctis. Forever.”

Noctis tightened his fingers around Ignis’ throat. It didn’t take long for him to die and he made no sound, which Noctis was thankful for. He sat with his dead body in the apartment for three days as he contemplated his existence; past, present, and future. He had gotten used to having a constant companion, and the loss of being with someone for every minute of every day was almost as destructive as the loss of Ignis himself. Such destruction and negative thoughts made Noctis consider suicide until he realized, bitter, that he didn’t even know how he would attempt it. Sun did nothing but make him feel sick and burn his skin a little, garlic was just disgusting rather than lethal, and he didn’t think he could run a stake through his own heart. When he wondered if he could call Emilia to see if she would do it, Noctis recognized that he was not in the best mental state and decided to move Ignis’ body out of their home.

Noctis thought about several locations for the grave but none of them really felt right. It took him an additional two days to find the proper spot. When he returned to Lestallum, he found an envelope in the mailbox. Inside was the picture of him, Emilia, and Ignis.

***

Prompto wiped at tears. He shuddered and exhaled, watching Noctis. Noctis had stayed true to his word and had not cried as he told his story about Ignis.

“I ended up burying him in the Myrlwood,” said Noctis. “He’s in the Tomb of the Rogue. At the time, it was rare for anyone to venture past the actual woods, so it was easy to do. Now, nobody gives a shit about the kings to explore their old tombs.” He smiled. “Did you know that there were no fireflies near the tomb until after I buried him there?”

“No. I didn’t.”

“I left Lestallum soon after his death. I wanted to be relatively close to him, but completely secluded. Hence the Pitioss Ruins.”

“What did you say to Emilia?” Prompto wondered about her. “Anything?”

“Yes. I did. I told her of Ignis’ death but not the method, obviously. It would have been unfair of me to just pretend that he simply didn’t exist anymore, one day. Naturally, she was angry. I did tell her I would take care of him, after all, and I failed. Then, she was inconsolable. She grieved like I grieved. I think she still loved Ignis more than she let on.” He paused. “She asked me to live with her, but I declined. We cared deeply for each other, but I feel as if she viewed me as an extension of Ignis in a way. Even though I moved, I still kept an eye on her. I devised methods that allowed me to give her money anonymously as her family continued to grow. Sometimes I would visit, but I could only do that for so long before she started asking questions about my appearance. I watch over her family, to this day. She has great-great-grandchildren now. A very large family. There’re a few Ignises floating around in there.”

Prompto wanted to smile, but cried more instead.

“Your life has been so rough,” he stated. “What prevents you from giving up? I’m sure you could have found a way to end it.”

“I just…” Noctis had never really thought about it. “I just didn’t. Maybe I'm stupid and I think that there’s still something better for me.”

“The fact that you haven’t is a real testament of your inner strength, Noctis.”

“Possibly.” Noctis shrugged. It didn’t really matter to him anymore. There were very few things that did.

“I want to help you,” said Prompto.

Noctis began preparing himself a plate of Iris’ forgotten food.

“That’s cool.”

“Noctis, stop.” Prompto grabbed his wrist, making him drop his plastic fork and look up. “Stop doing this. You want to act like a jerk again after you bared your soul to me not once, but twice? You make absolutely no sense.”

Noctis yanked his wrist free and felt his heart beat faster out of anger. But as he stared at Prompto, who was steadfast and stared right back, he started to break down and cry.

“Why are you so nice to me, Prompto?” Noctis wondered if he couldn’t comprehend Prompto’s kindness or if he simply refused to accept it.

“Because I like you, you ding-dong.” He shook his head. “I wish you would understand that.”

Noctis remembered Ignis’ words and he cried harder. He leaned closer to Prompto, spilling his food all over his lap, and hugged him. Prompto let him cry into his shoulder like he did the previous night. He wished that Noctis would allow himself to trust him, and others. He lifted Noctis’ chin so he could look at him. Smiling, he leaned in for a kiss. Noctis froze and Prompto laughed.

“Am I Shiva? Why’d you freeze?”

He wiped Noctis’ face and kissed him again. Prompto moved closer to him and he relaxed and stopped crying. Noctis could feel the heat of Prompto’s skin and held his breath. Prompto pushed him back and onto the blanket and the two of them lay there, finally kissing each other without restraint. As Noctis felt the last vestiges of his mistrust, fear, and loathing fade away, he hoped that Ignis was happy for him.


	8. Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto deals with his feelings for Gladio and Noctis and makes amends with Dino.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard and long...and not in a good way. It was really hard to write, took me forever, and is very lengthy. But, it is necessary to set the stage for the ending, which will happen in about two chapters or so. There is finally Promptis sex in this (YAY) and more Dino (DOUBLE YAY).
> 
> The title of this chapter comes from "[Falling](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2WlryiZ3dA)" (AKA the _Twin Peaks_ theme; lyrics below) written by mah boo David Lynch, composed by Angelo Badalamenti, and sung by Julee Cruise. It also inspired a few scenes.
> 
> Enjoy!

Don't let yourself be hurt this time.  
Don't let yourself be hurt this time.

Then I saw your face  
Then I saw your smile

The sky is still blue  
The clouds come and go  
Yet something is different  
Are we falling in love?

Don't let yourself be hurt this time.  
Don't let yourself be hurt this time.

Then your kiss so soft  
Then your touch so warm

The stars still shine bright  
The mountains still high  
Yet something is different  
Are we falling in love?

Falling  
Falling  
Are we falling in love?

 

Prompto kisses were slow and gentle. There was a dichotomy of assertiveness and an almost childlike innocence within each kiss that was so remarkably different from anything that Noctis was used to. He couldn’t help but compare Prompto to Ignis and doing so made him sad. Breaking the kiss, he began to speak, yet he didn’t really know what he wanted to say.

“I’m not sure how to do this.”

“I understand,” said Prompto as he reached up to thread fingers through Noctis’ hair. “I didn’t mean to come on strong.”

“It’s not you. It’s me. Really.”

“I’ve heard that one before.”

Prompto let go and the both of them sat up. It was as if the feeling of Prompto’s hands was branded into Noctis’ skin. He grew nervous as he realized he was dangerously close to missing the touch already. Prompto looked at him again and grabbed his hands.

“I’m sorry. Making a move when you’re vulnerable is kind of dickish.”

“I’m falling in love with you,” Noctis blurted. “I can’t explain it. But, there’s just some kind of feeling I get when I’m with you or think about you. I’m falling, hard.”

“I know what you’re saying.” Prompto reflected upon falling in love with Gladio. Back then, every time he looked at or thought about Gladio, it created a bizarre feeling deep inside his chest that he could only assume was a result of his heart literally aching. He still felt that way sometimes. “I know how you feel.”

“Not really, no. You don’t understand the guilt I have as a result. It’s like I’m erasing Ignis completely.”

Prompto shook his head.

“I will never replace Ignis. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t come close to doing so. I’m not trying to be a replacement; I’m trying to be an addition. I know your heart is big enough to accommodate the both of us.”

Noctis couldn’t think of anything to counter Prompto’s statement. His throat was dry as he swallowed.

“I don’t know how to be happy anymore,” he admitted. “I was…floating through this darkness, alone, and I was okay with it. Now I’m not and I’m scared.”

“It’s okay to be scared, Noctis. It’s a sign that there’s still humanity left in you, despite what you think. But, you never have to be scared with me.”

Noctis nodded and looked down at their entwined hands. Prompto could almost feel the struggle that was occurring within him, but didn’t say anything else. He was determined to get Noctis to reveal his true feelings on his own, free from any pressure Prompto’s words may place upon him.

“I want you,” was all Noctis said. There was never really any question about it.

“Well, then, you have me.” Prompto gently tugged on Noctis’ hands, pulling him forward and closer. He gave Noctis a deep kiss that made him weak. “You know you’re stuck with me forever now, right? I hope you’re okay with that.”

The concept of “forever” in a positive context was something that held no meaning to Noctis anymore, especially when it came to being with someone he loved. He would simply have to learn how to enjoy his time with Prompto on a day-to-day basis. He wasn't going to let himself get hurt again.

“I am.”

Prompto pulled Noctis back down on the blanket and into his arms. His embrace was gentle and comforting and created a feeling of security that Noctis had become unaccustomed to over the years. Noctis tilted his head up and Prompto captured his lips, eliminating whatever additional words he may have felt the need to say. There was nothing more he could say. They broke the kiss and Noctis breathed slower, feeling his body relax and mold itself into Prompto’s. The two embraced for a while before Prompto started to press his body against Noctis even more, making him feel a shiver that began at the back of his neck and traveled down his spine. He took a deep breath before he spoke.

“Will you let me try something?”

“Of course.”

Noctis sat up on an elbow and closed his eyes. Prompto pulled back from him and looked, intrigued.

“What are you--”

Prompto wasn’t able to complete his sentence. He moaned as he felt a warm undulation throughout his body. It moved slowly and smoothly like warm honey and he rolled onto his back as felt Noctis probe his mind.

_Is this okay?_

Prompto nodded and his eyes fluttered shut. He could feel the warmth everywhere now. It was joined by a tingling sensation and something that felt like a hundred fingers just barely grazing the surface of his skin.

 _How does it feel?_ Noctis wanted to hear Prompto’s voice. _Tell me._

Prompto didn’t think he could describe it appropriately, but he tried.

“It feels…” He had to take a breath. Noctis was increasing the intensity. “It feels like I’m in a steamy bath and someone is sticking a finger in my belly button.”

_Huh?_

“You know…that tingly feeling…” A small grunt escaped him as Noctis continued to increase the intensity. He squirmed. The tingling turned into vibrations and he was starting to get hard; Noctis sensed this and was pleased. “That feeling you get when you stick your finger deep into your belly button and it shoots a tingly shock through your body. But, instead of a shock, this feeling is constant.” He paused. “Don’t tell me I’m the only one that’s tried that.”

_Uh…yeah. You are. Weirdo._

Noctis laughed and Prompto smiled. It was the first genuine laugh he’d heard from him since they had met.

“I wish you would laugh more,” said Prompto. “You will with me.”

The words were spoken with such confidence that Noctis couldn’t help but believe him. He leaned over and they kissed as he lifted his hand to run a thumb along Prompto’s jawline. It was a relatively timid kiss, but he was encouraged as he felt Prompto’s hot, opening mouth invite him further inside.

“Don’t be afraid,” Prompto whispered against Noctis’ lips. “I promise I won’t hurt you.”

Prompto tried to deepen the kiss but Noctis pulled away. He sat up, touching Prompto’s mouth, and traced a finger along its edge before trailing it down his chin, neck, and chest. They looked at each other closely as Noctis continued to drag his finger down Prompto’s torso, the both of them chuckling a little as he playfully stuck his finger inside Prompto’s belly button before reaching his crotch. Noctis’ heart was beating fast as he ran the finger over Prompto’s belt buckle and zipper. His increasing excitement was being reflected by the aura manipulation and Prompto moaned.

_Can I?_

Prompto continued to moan and gasp, his head gently moving side to side against the blanketed ground. He squirmed some more and pushed his hips up slightly as a sign of silent encouragement for Noctis to continue. Noctis’ other hand quickly joined the one at the buckle and he undid the belt. He faltered after unzipping the pants and Prompto sensed the hesitation. Prompto spoke in a breathy rush of words.

“Do whatever you want to me.”

Noctis remained unmoving as he tried to process the moment. It was the first time that he had been intimate with someone in over a century, but he was more concerned about the significance of the event than him being rusty. He was about to finally and completely shut one door and open a new one, transitioning from an existence that was solely within his mind and memories to one that was firmly fixed within reality and the present. Prompto was right: he would never replace Ignis. But, he would help Noctis move forward with his life and fill it with love and happiness instead of grief. That is exactly what Ignis wanted.

“Noctis?”

Noctis tugged on the sides of Prompto’s pants and underwear. Prompto bit a lip and lifted his hips so Noctis could pull them down. Prompto felt yet another telepathic surge just as his cock sprung out from his underwear and into the cool air. The combination of the air against his skin and the surge made him begin to openly pant. He felt desperate but really didn’t care as the only things that mattered to him were the moment at hand and the anticipation for what was next. Prompto wasn’t sure he would necessarily survive what was to come if the intensity continued to increase. Noctis reached for him, wrapping his fingers around his cock and he moaned as the hand began moving along his length. Noctis enjoyed feeling Prompto’s soft skin and wondered how his cock tasted. He didn’t hesitate to find out; without a word, he took Prompto into his mouth, licking and sucking as he inched his way down. Prompto jerked sharply and Noctis stopped moving.

_Are you okay?_

Prompto didn’t know. He was experiencing the kind of pleasure that could easily turn to pain without notice. Between the sensation of the telepathy and Noctis sucking his cock, he felt something strong burgeoning inside him and he wasn’t sure if would be able to control it. Noctis’ mouth was still on him and Prompto was in agony, wanting him to continue and pull away at the same time. Noctis ended the link, sensing the high levels of arousal and distress. He heard a shuddering sigh.

“That was…” Prompto felt dizzy as if he had suddenly snapped back from the brink of unconsciousness. “Overwhelming. Amazing. Weird.”

He couldn’t elaborate any further once Noctis began moving again. Noctis bobbed his head and relaxed his throat muscles, trying to take as much as he could and Prompto whimpered when he felt lips and tongue and the slightest scrape of teeth surround him. Wet heat engulfed the crown of his cock and he cried out as Noctis’ hand started to move in time with his mouth. Prompto then watched Noctis repeatedly swallow him whole without difficulty. Noctis effortlessly deepthroating him was the last thing that Prompto expected to happen, but it was certainly welcomed. He propped himself up on an elbow and brought his free hand to rest along the back of Noctis’ head, fighting the urge to grab him by the hair and take control. Noctis was moving faster and Prompto sensed the beginnings of his orgasm; slow and rumbling and preparing to attack like a bear unexpectedly roused from its sleep. He wanted to stop it in any way he could, but knew that such an act was futile since his orgasm had already started to consume him and push him past the threshold of lucidity and into oblivion. He fell back hard against the ground and was pumping his hips as his body screamed for mercy.

“I’m…” He couldn’t speak.

He came, hard and silently, still unable to find his voice. Noctis’ mouth remained attached to his cock and he willingly received his cum, which turned Prompto on even more. His orgasm was seemingly relentless and he felt as if a little portion of his soul was flowing out of him, too. He finally managed to moan; a weak, staccato sound that evolved into sharp screams. Prompto clamped a hand over his mouth and gave muffled grunts, hips jerking and cock spasming. As he continued to come, he began to worry that he would be forever stuck in the state that he was currently in: the state between pleasure and pain, existence and non-existence. After a few more excruciating moments, he felt the freezing, sobering splash of overstimulation and fatigue wash over him almost immediately. Noctis released him and the air met his cock again, eclipsing the feeling of warmth and wetness. Prompto was thankful for the air, was thankful for Noctis knowing when to stop, and he barely registered Noctis settling on the blanket and putting his arms around him. He lifted a heavy limb to rest on Noctis’ hip and felt him take a deep sigh and kiss his sweaty forehead.

“Are you okay?”

“You sound like a broken record." Prompto was much more than okay.

Noctis ran a slow hand through Prompto’s hair. As they lay there, Noctis couldn’t help but establish a weak telepathic probe that he hoped Prompto wouldn’t feel. He wanted to know what he was thinking. Noctis smiled as he read Prompto’s emotions. Prompto’s mind was racing, but Noctis could identify complete satiety that was combined with a sense of vulnerability. Noctis tried to deepen the probe to learn more but Prompto began to fidget.

“You being nosy again?” Prompto asked. Noctis quickly ended the link.

“Nope.”

Prompto continued to fidget and Noctis was reminded of the erection that he had been concealing for quite a while. Prompto kept moving and rubbing against Noctis’ body and he wondered if he was doing it intentionally. He felt his stomach flutter with arousal and excitement as he envisioned fucking Prompto. He moaned.

“You’re doing that on purpose.”

“Maybe.”

Prompto lifted his head to kiss Noctis, tasting himself on his mouth. He grunted low in his throat as he grabbed Noctis tighter, wedging a thigh between Noctis’ legs. He gently rubbed against Noctis’ crotch and began to plant kisses on his neck. Noctis’ breathing became more labored and the fluttering in his stomach turned into crashing waves that he felt himself begin to drown in. Feeling bold, he pushed Prompto onto his back and held his face still by the chin. He began to assault Prompto’s mouth with his tongue and lips, a surprising move. Prompto relished the feeling and snaked his own tongue into Noctis’ mouth. They started to tease each other, one parrying the other’s tongue, until Noctis removed his hand from Prompto’s chin and wedged it between them. Prompto felt him fumble with his zipper.

“I can’t wait any longer,” he said, kissing Prompto’s ear lobe and the side of his face.

“I don’t expect you to.”

They separated and undressed, the exhilaration too much for them to savor the act of revealing their bodies to each other. Prompto tugged on Noctis’ hand, pulling him on top of him and between his legs. Noctis pushed Prompto’s legs a little wider and grabbed himself, positioning his cock at Prompto’s entrance. He looked at Prompto, wordlessly asking his question.

“Do it.” Prompto thought that the suspense was going to eat him alive. “I’m ready.”

There was no further doubt as Noctis pushed into Prompto. He sheathed himself inside, making the both of them moan. Noctis cried out again as the feeling of hot tightness surrounded him. He started thrusting at a steady pace, exhaling a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.

“Are you--”

“Don’t even think about it,” Prompto interrupted and pulled Noctis down and against his chest. He clutched at Noctis’ neck and they kissed sloppily as the thrusts sped up. Prompto spread his legs wider, then latched them around Noctis’ hips. Noctis supported himself up on his hands and started thrusting harder, making Prompto slide against the blanket. Noctis gasped and struggled to speak.

“You feel so good.”

He moaned as Prompto began to angle his hips up to meet every thrust, deepening the penetration. Prompto nodded as he murmured words of encouragement, then grabbed his cock. It was rock hard again and he moved his hand along it, loosening and tightening his fist in sporadic intervals. Noctis was in the perfect position and of the perfect length to hit his prostate and Prompto was starting to feel the familiar sense that indicated the beginning of the end.

“Yeah,” goaded Prompto. “Fuck me.”

Noctis did in earnest. It didn’t take long before he felt the inevitable conclusion of their love making quickly approaching. He was disappointed that it was happening so fast, but it was silly to assume otherwise considering how long it had been and how turned on he really was. The magnitude of his attraction for Prompto surprised him. He didn’t think that anyone would ever be able to emotionally and sexually satisfy him after Ignis and was happy that he had been proven wrong.

“I’m going to come,” said Prompto. His hand was moving along his cock at a high speed. “Are you going to? I want you to come inside me.”

“Yes…”

The confirmation came out as a hiss and Noctis threw away whatever restraint was left. He began to pound into Prompto with as much force and speed as the both of them could handle. Prompto began to yelp with every thrust and it wasn’t long before he orgasmed, feeling his cum spurt onto his stomach and chest. Noctis grunted, falling on top of Prompto and wrapping his arms around his neck and shoulders. He continued to fuck him hard, feeling himself grow lightheaded. He imagined that he felt the way Prompto felt earlier: lost and overwhelmed as he tried to navigate back to reality. He whimpered when he felt his stomach clench, then cried out loudly when he felt himself unload inside of Prompto. Prompto moaned in response and he felt a second, tiny orgasm. Noctis’ body relaxed, then grew numb and limp as his hips slowed and he collapsed against Prompto. He finally finished and they clutched at each other as he rolled onto his side, pulling Prompto with him. They kissed tenderly, trying to express their love for each other without words.

***

They walked to the car, hand in hand. Prompto pressed his lips together as he tried to hold back a smile. He felt giddy, as if he were thirteen after he had managed to get a burger date with his crush, all over again. He started to swing their hands and Noctis looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

He pulled Noctis towards him, giving him a kiss, and almost spilled the picnic basket. Noctis squeezed Prompto’s hand.

“I’m just happy,” Prompto continued. “I’m happy you’re happy.” He fell silent for a moment, considering something. “You're happy, right?”

“What kind of question is that?”

“An honest one. I want to make sure.”

Noctis pulled on Prompto’s hand and they continued to walk. Prompto started to get concerned as Noctis didn’t respond. Perhaps Noctis was annoyed that Prompto asked such a question, but he had to know. He didn’t want Noctis to feel obligated to act in a way that solely accommodated Prompto and his feelings. He couldn’t help but feel that Gladio did that sometimes; one person was enough. At the thought of Gladio, Prompto became disappointed. He still couldn’t stop thinking about him.

“Of course I am.” They had reached Prompto’s car and Noctis turned to him, kissing him softly. “There’s no question. Are you truly happy?”

Prompto was.

“The happiest I’ve been in a while.” He looked down at the ground, shy; a rare act on Prompto’s end. “I hope we can make tonight a habit.”

“What do you think?” They kissed yet again, a little rougher this time, and Noctis made a sound. It seemed as if he remembered something and he pulled away. “Don’t forget the interview with Dino. I think, for your sake, you should probably do it sooner than later.”

“You’re right.” Prompto let go of Noctis’ hand and walked over to the trunk, popping it open and putting the basket inside. He slammed it shut. “He’s probably going to tell me to fuck off though.”

“You’ll be fine.” Noctis licked his lips and Prompto could tell he wanted to say something else. “Are you going to say anything to Gladio?”

Prompto’s mind revisited the subject of Gladio. He initially didn’t plan on telling him but he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide it. He didn’t want to. They never kept anything from each other, no matter what it was. Prompto reconsidered the thought with surprising bitterness; he supposed that the only thing that Gladio has withheld from Prompto was the desire to be something more than friends. He disappointed himself once again as he thought about his romantic feelings for Gladio, then began to feel concerned. He couldn’t stop his mind from wondering if Noctis would really be enough for him. The sudden second thoughts brought upon a crippling sense of fear and self-loathing.

“I’ll take that as a no…”

“Of course I’m going to tell Gladio.” Prompto walked back over to Noctis and grabbed his hips, pressing their bodies close together. They kissed some more and Prompto closed his eyes, feeling his tears come.

“We should probably go,” said Noctis. “It’s really late. Or really early, depending on your perspective.”

“Yeah. I don’t want you to get sick.”

The sun was going to come up soon and he didn’t want Noctis to unnecessarily subject himself to it. They continued to kiss and embrace a moment longer before finally saying their goodbyes, promising to meet at the Pool at the same time they always did later that night. Prompto got into his car, trying to analyze the multitude of emotions that were surging through him like turbulent winds. He strongly believed that he truly loved Noctis and he didn’t know why the other feelings insisted on hanging around. He felt like a lying piece of shit as he realized it was highly probable that he was going to do the exact thing that he promised Noctis he wouldn’t do if his feelings for Gladio persisted.

“Fuck my life.”

***

Prompto was sitting in his room and dialed Dino’s number without complete dread for the first time in a while. He hoped that Dino would be happy with what he had coordinated but, more importantly, he hoped that he would accept his apology. Prompto was well aware of how poorly he had handled the situation and he wouldn’t be shocked if Dino told him to go to hell. The phone rang for several seconds, but Prompto knew he was awake; Dino rarely slept. He was about to hang up just as he heard his voice.

“The fuck do you want?” He was hostile, as expected. “Want to sell me more empty promises?”

“I messed up. I’m sorry. What happened was irresponsible and selfish of me.” He heard Dino sigh and expected him to hang up, but he didn’t.

“Why should I believe anything that you say now?”

“Because…” Prompto hesitated. “Do you remember when you took me to Pitioss?”

“How could I ever forget that?”

“When…” He was losing his nerve, but he had to tell Dino the truth. “After I came to when we were driving back home, I told you that I didn’t get a picture. But, I did. I deleted it before you could see it. I’m sorry.”

Dino was quiet. Prompto knew Dino well enough by now to know that there were only two things that rendered him speechless: sadness or anger. He figured that, in this instance, there was a combination of both.

“I coordinated something with Noctis,” he continued. “I--”

“Who the fuck is Noctis?” He spoke sharply and was clearly irritated. “Fuck this shit; goodbye.”

“Noctis is the vampire we’ve been hunting, remember? He offered to give you an interview,” Prompto hurried to say before Dino could hang up. The call remained connected and he waited for a response.

“Like that old ass movie?”

“Thank you! I asked him the same thing and he was confused as hell.” He was relieved to hear Dino snicker. “I’m glad you’re accepting my apology.”

“Whatever. I’m forgiving you, but I won’t forget until you get me a date with Iris.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“So, he was the one that suggested the interview? I find that hard to believe."

“It’s true. I explained the situation to him and how I did you wrong and he said that he would help.”

“Why would he help you?”

_Because we’re falling in love with each other?_

“Noctis is…different. He’s not evil and we’re friends. He actually prefers to be friends with humans. He’s isolated himself for reasons that you will learn about during your interview, I’m sure.”

“Oh, come on. You can’t expect me to wait until I speak to him. Gimme something I can work with, now.”

Prompto felt all of the sadness that he experienced while listening to the stories about Ardyn and Ignis come rushing back at an overwhelming speed.

“I can’t do that.” He sighed, looking out his window and at the rising sun. “It’s not my story to tell.”

“Ugh, you’re such a dick. When can I talk to him?”

“Does later tonight work for you? Around 10:30?”

“Place?”

Prompto almost said the Forgotten Pool but stopped himself. The Pool was his and Noctis’ special spot and he didn’t want anyone else to know about it. He tried to quickly think of another location.

“What about Galdin Shoals?” Prompto hoped that Noctis would contact him before they were to meet so he could tell him of the new location.

“Sure, whatever. Okay.” Dino was excited. “Should I make a garlic lei just in case?”

“All it will do is make him gag and pissed off because it’s a plant and he hates anything that has even the slightest nutritional value.” He heard the front door open; Gladio was back from his morning run. “I gotta go. Don’t be late.”

“I won’t. Thank you, Prompto.”

“Don’t thank me for doing what I promised I would do. See you later.”

They ended the call. Prompto could hear Gladio in the kitchen, most likely making some kind of nasty protein shake. Gladio was usually hungry and cranky after his runs -- his massive, muscular frame was typically not a body type conducive to running with ease, but he liked it for its meditative nature -- and Prompto knew he had to wait a moment before approaching him. He waited for him to drink his slop and take a shower before he crept out of his bedroom and headed to the kitchen to make some coffee, then to the living room. Gladio was on the couch watching the news and going through an old camping backpack.

“Hey,” said Prompto, hovering by the room’s entry way. He held up a steaming mug. “I made you some coffee.”

“Hey,” replied Gladio, looking up from his bag. “Good morning.”

Prompto made his way to the couch and sat down, handing the cup over.

“Thank you." Gladio took a sip before setting it down on the coffee table. He focused his attention back to the gear. “I’m assuming you have something to ask or tell me since you actually bothered to make coffee. You even managed to make it the correct way. What did you do last time? Burned it? How does that even happen?”

Prompto hated that he was so obvious, all the time.

“Does it have something to do with Noctis?”

“Fuck,” Prompto groaned. “Are you sure you’re not telepathic, too?”

“I wish. Well, I’m not so sure I’d want to find out what goes on in your head, constantly.” He looked up at Prompto, giving him a small smile. “Is it too early to say ‘I told you so’?”

“Gladio…”

“It was only a matter of time, Prompto. I saw how you looked when you would come home some nights. It’s okay though. You don’t owe me an explanation and I don’t need one.”

“Why don’t you love me?” Prompto said suddenly, with no consideration whatsoever. “Why didn’t we end up together?”

Gladio looked at Prompto, wondering why he was brining the subject up.

“Prompto. That really isn’t relevant.”

“Yeah, it is. It is to me. You say I’m your best friend and that you love me, not to mention we fuck pretty often.” He was starting to get angry. “So what’s the problem? Why am I good enough to fuck but not good enough to be with?”

“There’s a difference between love and being in love,” said Gladio, digging in his bag again. Prompto stood up from the couch, disbelieving.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Prompto, sit back down and be quiet. You’ll wake Iris up and no one wants that.”

“Really, what does that mean? How is there a difference? So, I’m not good enough for you to be ‘in love’ with me?”

“No, that’s not what I--”

“You’re such a fucker, Gladio. How can you say that?”

“I’m talking about you.” He closed the bag and threw it on the floor, looking at Prompto. Prompto could see a look in Gladio’s eyes that he couldn’t identify. “You. I really don’t think you’re in love with me. I think that we would have been together only for as long as it would take you to find someone else. Until you found the right person. I’m not the right person.”

Prompto was dumbstruck. He slowly lowered himself back down on the couch and stared at Gladio.

“I can’t believe you said that. That’s even stupider than your first statement.”

“Prompto…”

Gladio stared back at him, debating whether or not he should reveal his other reason. He felt that it was the least that he could do. Prompto deserved to know the truth so he could focus on other things. Gladio thought about Prompto’s relationship with Noctis. He was truly happy for them and felt optimistic about their future together. Really, whatever made Prompto happy made Gladio happy. There was no doubt that Prompto would understand that he was in love with someone other than Gladio, but the question was when exactly he would realize it. Gladio hoped that it would be soon and that Prompto would be able to get over him in the process.

“Stop,” said Prompto, holding up a hand. “There’s nothing that could negate what you just said to me.”

“I was a virgin. I’ve never been with anyone until I met you.” He saw Prompto’s mouth fall open a little. “I’ve never had a boyfriend, girlfriend, whatever. I’ve never even had a cat or a dog.”

“What?”

“I fell in love with you. Believe me. There was a point where I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I thought about you almost every second of every day.” Prompto’s chest tightened as he heard the words. “But, I couldn’t say anything to you even though I wanted to.” 

“Gladio…” Prompto began to cry. “Why?”

“I was too scared. If you haven’t noticed, I don’t like to make myself vulnerable.” He grinned. “There’s something to be said about the fact that you found out I always cry at the end of the movie _My Dear Chocobo_ and I let you live.”

“Stop joking around.”

“Sorry. Even so, it wouldn’t have worked. I somehow knew -- and don’t ask me how, I just did -- that I wasn’t the one for you. That fact wrecked me, but I knew and I didn’t want to start anything with you that had the potential to end badly. I treasure our friendship too much for that to happen.”

Prompto fell apart and he started to cry uglily. The revelation didn’t make him feel better at all, not really, but he supposed he deserved whatever he got since he was the one that insisted on talking about the subject in the first place. Still, he wished he would have asked his question a long time ago; maybe he would have gotten over Gladio by now and wouldn’t be dealing with such conflicting emotions.

“Oh, the ugly cry.” Gladio wiped at Prompto’s tears. “Don’t cry. It’s not your fault I’m too afraid to deal with feelings and communicate like an adult. You deserve better than that.”

“We…” Prompto hiccuped. “We could have…” But, deep down, he knew that Gladio was right.

Prompto leaned over and Gladio took him into his arms. Prompto let himself cry because there was nothing else that he could do that would make him feel remotely better for the time being. Gladio lovingly rubbed at his head and back as he waited for him to calm down. Gladio wished that things could have been different between the two of them, but he wouldn’t sacrifice their friendship for anything in the world.

“I’ll always love you, Prompto.”

Prompto’s body convulsed as he continued to sob. He was acting stupid and unreasonable, but he was grateful that he finally knew everything. As he thought about the previous night, Prompto understood that, in reality, it wouldn’t have mattered how Gladio felt about him. He decided that he wanted what he had with Noctis to work and that he would work hard to make sure it did. He imagined that the real reason why he desired to know Gladio's answer was so he could gain the closure that he had been desperately seeking for years. Like Noctis, he had to accept that he was falling in love again and be ready to move on. He needed the truth in order for that to happen.

“So when’s the wedding?”

Prompto still managed to smile and he sat up. He sniffed and rubbed at his nose, then wiped his hand on Gladio’s arm. Gladio frowned.

“Gross. So, when is it?”

“Never. I don’t think Noctis will ever be the marrying type again.”

“Again?”

“Yeah.” Prompto sniffed again. His sobbing had exhausted him. Physically, he felt like shit but, emotionally and mentally, he was starting to feel light and free. “He’s a widower. Maybe you’ll hear the story one day.”

Gladio thought about his statement.

“Yeah. I’d like to talk to him. You know, if he wants to.”

Prompto nodded then took Gladio’s face into his hands, giving him a final kiss.

***

Noctis had traveled to the Tomb of the Rogue after he parted ways with Prompto. He wasn’t sure if he could really handle being in Ignis’ tomb in his current emotional state, but decided to take the risk. It was difficult at first. As soon as he warped and stood outside of the entrance and saw the fireflies illuminating in the waning darkness of the night, he collapsed to the ground and began crying. He was so sick of crying, sick of reliving the pain that had invaded every aspect of his life for so long. His pain was like a sinister, parasitic friend. It was like someone who stuck around solely to sap you of your soul and convinced you that you needed them whenever you tried to break free. But, Noctis had to break free somehow. He was experiencing something that would lead to a death ten times more painful than a physical one; something that would lead him to a spiritual and emotional death that would condemn him to purgatory until the end of time.

When he was confident that he wouldn't cry anymore, he got up and entered the tomb. It was unchanged from the last time he visited, as it always was. There was the familiar, oppressive combination of sorrow and silence that hung over Noctis’ head as he tried to collect his thoughts before he spoke. Noctis always talked to Ignis. He didn’t know how he could not. About five days after Ignis was buried, Noctis returned to the tomb and refused to leave for almost three weeks. He neglected to feed or do anything else other than speak to his husband at length. Noctis remembered one specific day during a particularly bad time when he became fully aware of the fact that he was succumbing to delirium. There was an odd feeling, like he was watching himself descend into madness from afar. Soon, he began speaking to Ignis as if he were in the room. He joked and laughed, lamented and sobbed. Became angry. Professed his love. Ignis always responded to him, as loving as ever. Even though it was a hallucination, his voice acted as a salve for the gaping, throbbing wound in Noctis’ heart that his death left in its wake. While Noctis eventually became coherent again, talking to Ignis stuck around and eventually became a ritual. He told Ignis everything and would make no exception for his relationship with Prompto.

He kissed his hand, putting it over the top of the sarcophagus. The top was carved in effigy of one of Noctis’ many ancestors, but he imagined that it was Ignis instead. He sat on the cold floor, leaning against the stone coffin, and began to speak.

“My love.”

He sighed deeply and forced himself to say what he needed to say.

“What you wanted is finally happening. I don’t know if I can handle it. I can just imagine what you’d say: ‘Noctis, that is complete nonsense.’” He chuckled as he tried to imitate Ignis’ voice and failed, miserably. “Or something like that. Anyway, it’s happening. He’s nice. I think we would have been friends with him if we’d ever met in Lestallum.” He smirked, unable to prevent himself from teasing Ignis even in death. “Maybe we could have recruited him for the threesome that you wanted so much. I wish I could have done that for you. I wish I could have done a lot of things for you. I miss you.”

He wanted to cry again, but didn’t. He made a promise to himself that he wouldn't.

“I used to only live for the possibility that I may, somehow, see you again when I die. I was determined to find a way to die so that could happen. But, there was always something that kept me from following through. I guess I wanted to at least take a chance at finding happiness again. It was your wish, after all. I wanted to fulfill it for you. I now realize that I need to fulfill it for me, too. Prompto -- that’s his name -- is so different than you, yet the same. When I was with you, I felt like I was...home, if that makes sense. I feel the same way with him.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” he continued. “I know that’s dumb because you would never be. I just don’t want you to think that I’m abandoning or replacing you. Even Prompto says that he could never replace you, and he’s right. But…I think I’m ready to move on.”

A tear slid down his cheek. He failed to keep his promise.

“I love you, Ignis. So much. You don’t know how much. I don’t think I do either, it’s so unfathomable. I miss you every day, and that will never change. But, you taught me how to be happy, how to love, and how to let myself be loved after not being loved for two millennia. Those are the greatest feelings that anyone could ever experience. I want to try and experience them again with Prompto.” More tears began to fall. “Thank you for letting me into your life.”

The sound of slow clapping suddenly filled the air and Noctis jerked away from the sarcophagus and got to his feet. He scanned the room.

“Who’s there?”

The source of the clapping emerged from the shadows of the tomb and Noctis froze in terror.

“How sweet,” said Ardyn. “Truly, truly sweet. Almost saccharine.”

He stopped his clapping and grabbed his fedora, holding it over his chest as he bowed.

“Nephew. Long time.” He placed his hat back on his head. “How have you been?” He waited for a response, which never came. “I see. I’ve been quite well, thank you for asking. How’s Prompto?”

Noctis took a step forward.

“Don’t…don’t even say his name.”

“Or else what?” Ardyn shook his head and shrugged, then lazily waved a hand in the air. “Stop.”

Noctis froze for real this time, being rendered immobile by the spell. Ardyn began moving and Noctis’ eyes frantically darted around, trying to watch him.

“I’m astounded you didn’t hear me come in, Noctis. You’re slipping. Is it because you’re in the honeymoon phase with your new relationship? Blinded by love?” He was circling Noctis, making him feel like a shark’s prey. “It’s been so long since you’ve been happy. It’s a strange feeling, isn’t it? You being happy. Will it last though?” Ardyn laughed, shaking his head again. “Look at me, asking all of these questions and not letting you answer. But, first, do you promise that you will be a good boy? Because, if you’re not and you try something foolish, I will fuck you raw against your beloved’s coffin, then make you watch as I grind his bones into a fine powder. Don’t get me started on what I’ll do to Prompto, Gladio, and Iris.”

Noctis emitted a muffled scream and Ardyn smiled and nodded.

“Yes, I see that got your attention. Good. I believe we are on the same page now.”

Noctis was released from the spell but refused to move. If he knew only one thing, it was that Ardyn did not bluff.

“Are we on the same page?”

“Yes.”

“Yes what? Don’t be rude.”

Noctis was quiet, humiliation creeping in.

“Yes, Uncle.”

Ardyn slowly walked in front of Noctis and stopped, standing about five feet away. He crossed his arms and studied him.

“Barring the bloody face, you look good. I’m sure Prompto thinks so. That boy…” Ardyn started to laugh. “He seems like quite the handful. Is he? You know…” He motioned towards his crotch. “Where it counts? I think it would be quite fun to spend a night with him tied to my bed. What do you think? Would he like that?”

Noctis didn’t want to respond, but he knew that would be unacceptable.

“I don’t know.” Noctis cringed at the sound of the next word. “Uncle.”

“Ah, I forgot. You two just started fucking, so you might not know too much about him yet. He’s a beautiful boy. When did you meet? No need to answer that, I already know. I guess I’m just trying to make conversation. I know almost everything about you. I probably know you better than you know yourself.”

Noctis swallowed hard and tried to ensure that his mind was blank.

“Yes, you probably want to do that, huh? Wouldn’t want me to learn more of your ‘big secrets’. I’d say it’s a little late for that though.”

He moved closer to Noctis and tucked some of his hair behind his ear. Noctis couldn’t help but flinch. Ardyn laughed again.

“Don’t worry. I don’t plan on killing you yet.” He sat against the top of the sarcophagus and rapped his knuckles against it, smiling wide. “It’s so unfortunate that I didn’t get a chance to meet your previous lover. Unlike Prompto, he seemed as exciting as a bag of old, moldy books, but…to each their own. However, like Prompto, he was very attractive. Gorgeous, even. Where do you find these men, Noctis? I’m dying to know your secret. Do you think I’ll have a chance to meet your new lover?”

“I’m not sure, Uncle. I don’t control him.”

“Well, you should. You do know you have that ability, right?”

He pushed himself upright and began moving again. Noctis got nervous and he felt defenseless once more.

“I’ll cut to the chase and then leave you be. You should probably hurry back to you lair and try to get as much sleep as you can between now and Monday night, anyway.”

“Three days from now?” Noctis felt dread. “What’s going to happen then?”

“Why, that’s when I’m going to kill you, everyone you love, and everyone associated with you. I said I wasn’t going to kill you tonight, not yet, because I’m going to kill you on Monday. I’ve been a little bored lately, so I’ll indulge you and let you engage in a battle with me for a little while. But…you know how it will end. I suppose you’ll finally see Ignis again.”

Noctis should have anticipated his current situation; anyone could have predicted that it would happen. He constantly thought about Ardyn reemerging as he felt himself grow closer to Prompto, but he chose to disregard those feelings.

“You should have listened,” said Ardyn. “Always trust your gut, right? There’s really nothing you could have done though.”

Noctis could feel Ardyn behind him, could almost feel his breath against his neck. He closed his eyes and waited for a strike, but it never came.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why I waited until now to reappear instead of earlier. I was thinking about paying you and Ignis a little visit shortly after you two got together. That would have been too easy though. And you ended up doing half of my job by killing Ignis yourself.” He chuckled. “With Prompto…I think it’ll be fun. A little challenge. Plus, how could I resist killing him in front of your eyes? The idea of you watching the death of yet another lover is thrilling. Meet me in the Myrlwood, where you met Prompto, Monday night at nine. That should be more than enough time to prepare. Make sure to bring him."

Noctis saw Ardyn walk near the mouth of the tomb. His body slowly faded as he began to phase out of the tomb but he suddenly stopped, apparently not wanting to leave yet.

“Do you ever wonder why Ignis wasn’t able to turn? Why he rejected your blood?” The question came out of nowhere and Noctis wasn’t sure he wanted to hear the answer. “I’m not sure if you’ve ever seriously studied the strigoi lore. Probably not. You were never the studious one.” He walked over to Noctis again. “The strigoi are you, are me. They are us.”

“What…” His voice sounded distant, tinny. “What do you mean?”

“The strigoi are solely of Lucis Caelum blood. They have existed as long as we have existed. Not all of us are strigoi, but all strigoi are of Lucis Caelum descent. Ignis rejected it because he is not a descendant, as will anyone who does not have our blood. Even if you didn’t fuck up the process and remembered to get human blood to complete the transition, it still wouldn’t have worked.” Ardyn smiled. It was different than the others and it chilled Noctis. “So, FYI, I recommend that you do not try to turn Prompto.”

Noctis gasped, falling against the sarcophagus before sliding to the floor. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to turn Prompto yet but, now that he knew it was impossible, he felt he was at a loss. Ardyn held up a finger, as if to tell him to wait.

“However, there is a way around this predicament. There always is, if you try hard enough. You have the ability to become a mortal again. But, like when I turned you, there is a chance that it won’t take.”

“What?”

“Yes. It’s true. It requires the blood of another strigoi and the base of a regular Curaga. One simple potion mixed with my blood will allow you to become human again and live out a boring life with your boyfriend. Good luck trying to get it though. The only way you will get my blood is from my dead body. We know that will never happen.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Noctis could see no reason as to why Ardyn would divulge the information, other than to fuck with him.

“You’re right.” Ardyn walked over to Noctis. Noctis shook as Ardyn kneeled down to be face to face with him. He grabbed the back of Noctis’ neck and kissed him hard, forcing his tongue in his mouth before he pulled back. “I am fucking with you. I just wanted to give you a moment of hope for a future that you will never have, because I won’t allow you to have it.” He pushed Noctis away and stood up, looking down at him.

“See you Monday.”

***

The call came later than expected. Prompto could immediately tell that something was wrong after Noctis started speaking.

“What’s wrong?” Prompto was initially lounging on his bed, but slowly sat up as he heard Noctis’ voice. He sounded dejected and afraid.

_He’s back._

Prompto knew who he was talking about and he was grateful. He didn’t want to say his name.

“What? How? When? Where? Why now?”

 _All you’re missing is the “who”._ Prompto could hear a slight smile in his voice. _I went to Ignis’ tomb after we left the Pool. He met me there. He wants to fight us. He’s been watching everything we’ve been doing._

“This fucker!” Prompto punched a pillow. “He’s such a…such a fucking dick! Schadenfreude fuck! ”

_He’s probably listening to you._

“I don’t care!” He stood up and started pacing. “I’m going to kill him, Noctis!”

_Stop. You’re not going to do anything. He wants me to bring you, but I refuse. I’m not going to put you in danger and watch you die on purpose._

“Noctis, I’m going to die anyway. He'll track me down eventually. You’re not going to do this alone.” He paused. “I’m telling Gladio. He’ll help us. Maybe we’ll have a chance if all three of us fight him.”

Noctis almost laughed, thinking it was a joke, but it became clear that Prompto truly meant what he said.

 _I’m not sure. I hope._ He changed the topic. _Did you talk to Gladio about us?_

“I think we have something more important to talk about.”

_What’s there to say? Oh, yeah. He wants us to meet him at the spot where we met in the Myrlwood on Monday night at nine. That’s about all I have left to say about this subject._

Prompto tried to speak but Noctis cut him off.

_There’s nothing more to discuss. I don’t want to talk about how we’re going to die in three days. Not right now._

“Okay.” 

Prompto said nothing more about Ardyn and Noctis remembered one of the reasons why he fell in love with him. His level of understanding was extraordinary.

“I told him,” said Prompto. “I told him everything.”

_Everything?_

Prompto blushed.

“Well, not everything. He’s okay with it. I talked to Dino too.”

_And?_

“He forgave me.” Noctis knew he would. “I set up a meeting for tonight. Does that work? I told him to meet him at Galdin Shoals at 10:30.”

_Yes, that’s okay._

There was some awkward silence that followed. They had so much more that they wanted to say to each other, but neither knew if it was the proper time.

 _Well…_ Noctis was beginning to feel self-conscious. _I guess I should go. I’ll see you guys later tonight._

“Noctis, I love you.” The conversation with Gladio provided clarity that allowed him to explore and fully acknowledge his true feelings. “I really do. We’ve only known each other for such a short amount of time but, I can’t imagine not being with you.”

Noctis was elated.

_I love you._

The link ended and Prompto sat back down on the bed. He tried to look forward to seeing Noctis again later that night, but his eagerness couldn’t help but be overshadowed by his mounting panic.

***

Prompto and Dino drove to Galdin Shoals later that night. Dino was a mess.

“Are you all right?”

Dino was biting his nails, then grabbed his notebook out of his bag that was at his feet. He blindly flipped through the pages, looking at nothing, then closed it and stuffed it in his bag. His body was vibrating feverishly and Prompto could feel his energy radiate from him. Dino looked out of the window, seeing the lights of Galdin Quay in the distance.

“You think we could stop by the Quay for a minute? I gotta let off some steam.”

Prompto frowned.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“You know, let off some steam. Maybe have a drink or two. Talk to Coctura…”

“What about Iris?” Prompto frowned again, then turned onto the road leading to the shoals. “And, no. We’re running late as it is.”

“Well, maybe if you helped me make it official with her, I wouldn’t have to have a back up.”

They pulled up to some rocky terrain that had a small, barely visible path. Prompto shook his head as he shifted the gear into park.

“You’re not making me want to help you all that much. Come on, we have to walk the rest of the way.”

They hiked the path and made their way to a small campsite. There were three chairs around a campfire and the two could see Noctis sitting in one. They continued to walk closer to him until Prompto felt Dino grab the back of his vest, stopping them both in their tracks. Prompto turned around to see Dino gnawing on his bottom lip.

“What the hell?” He smirked. “You scared?”

Dino could only nod.

“Come on. He won’t bite. Literally.”

They walked over to Noctis, who stood up smiling. Prompto took a risk and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips, surprising all three of them.

“Hi,” said Prompto.

Noctis could only nod. Clearing his throat, he turned to Dino and stuck his hand out.

“Hi. I’m Noctis. Nice to meet you.”

Dino shook the hand limply. He was trembling and Noctis laughed.

“Don’t be afraid. Please, sit.”

The three of them sat down and Prompto tried to start a casual conversation before the interview started in order to help Dino relax. It worked and, soon after, Dino was back to his old self after establishing a good rapport with Noctis. Somehow, the conversation had shifted to Dino giving Prompto shit about numerous things, making Noctis laugh almost uncontrollably. Prompto was happy to hear the two of them laugh, but was not too happy that he was the subject of the jokes.

“Okay, moving on…” Prompto grumbled, looking at Dino. “Let’s get this over with.”

Dino pulled out his notebook and a tape recorder from his bag. He began his interview and Prompto sat in silence, watching the two speak for the entire time. He listened to Dino with wonder and respect; he was an outstanding interviewer. They spoke for a while. Prompto didn’t have a watch on, but he estimated that the interview took four hours. Prompto thought that hearing the story for the second time didn’t make it any less painful. By the end, Dino was in tears.

“Noctis…” Dino whispered, looking at him then at Prompto. He wiped his eyes. “Fuck.”

He couldn’t help but cry some more, slumping in his chair and leaning his head back to look at the stars. Noctis and Prompto let him cry for as long as he needed to. He did for a few minutes then stood up, reaching for his chair.

“Where do you want this?” His voice was still full of emotion.

“No need,” said Noctis. He waved his hand and the chairs disappeared, making Dino jump.

“Holy shit, you’re so cool…”

Dino grabbed Noctis’ hand and shook it vigorously.

“Thank you, so much, for this interview. I promise my article will do you justice.”

“Just make sure it’s enough for you to get your job back. Then you can worry about the other stuff.” He turned to Prompto. “I think you two should go. We should limit our time together for now.”

“Yeah.” He leaned in for another kiss. This time, Noctis let Prompto slide his tongue into his mouth for a split second. “I’ll see you later. I love you.”

Noctis didn’t know what he liked the most: hearing the words or saying them.

“I love you, too.”

Noctis disappeared and Dino was startled again. He clutched at his chest.

“I swear, hanging with the two of you is going to be the death of me.”

Prompto stomped out what little remained of the campfire, then slung an arm around Dino’s shoulders as they began walking to the car.

“Yeah, yeah.”

“So, you and Noctis, eh?” Dino nodded. “I approve.”

“I was waiting for your approval with great anxiety. Thank you.”

“I can tell that you guys love each other a lot.” A pause. “We need to get that turd monger Ardyn.”

“Turd monger? That’s new. And, there is no ‘we’. Are you crazy?”

“Maybe. But, I want to help.”

“No fucking way, Dino.” They reached his car and Prompto yanked the door open. He knew Dino would want to get involved. “End of story.”

“I want to help somehow. In any way. Even if it’s small in scope. This shit…” Dino shook his head in wonder. “This is amazing beyond words. I want to be a part of it.”

Prompto sighed. He didn’t know why he let Dino wear him down so easily.

“I’ll think about it.”

“Can you think about getting me that date with Iris while you’re at it?”

“Hey, man. One thing at a time.”

***

Prompto had invited Dino over to his apartment the afternoon following the interview. He knew Dino well enough to know that he was probably bouncing off the walls, wanting to talk about last night’s experience. As a result, Prompto asked him to stop by for lunch, offering to review his interview notes with him, and Dino accepted the invite. After lunch and reviewing the notes and a rough draft of the article for several hours, they made their way to Prompto’s bedroom. Prompto went to the closet and dug out the backpack he had carried the night he fought Noctis. He grabbed two bottles of Kimya’s potion that he had left over and threw one to Dino, who caught it and looked at the shimmering green bottle with wide eyes.

“Dude!” Dino held up the bottle close to his face. “What is this?”

“Just drink it,” said Prompto as he uncorked his potion and drank. Dino was reluctant, but still followed suit.

“Ugh, fuck.” Dino frowned and smacked his lips. “This tastes like rotten…something. What is it?”

“It’s a potion I got to block a strigoi’s telepathy. When Noctis and I were enemies, I got them to prevent him from reading my mind so I could actually have a chance to come up with a strategy during our fight. I know Ardyn will be trying to read our minds to see what we’re planning. Anyway…” He turned on his computer. “We need to hurry up. We only have thirty minutes before it wears off. But you need to make sure that you don’t think about anything that we are doing without a potion.”

“He can't still hear us talking somehow?”

_Shit._

“Maybe. Probably. Dammit, I don’t know. We’ll just have to take that risk and hope that he’s not listening somehow, I guess.” But he was pretty sure that it wouldn’t matter, either way. They were going to die. He groaned. “Come on, man…stop wasting time.”

He sat down at his desk and felt Dino lean over his shoulder to try and see what he was doing. That was one of Prompto’s biggest pet peeves and he sat with his fingers unmoving and hovering over the keyboard. He tried to swivel around in his chair, but was essentially trapped by Dino’s body.

“You’re super annoying.”

“I can’t help it.” Dino moved back, but just barely. “I’m just so anxious. Is this really happening?”

“Unfortunately.” Prompto knew Ardyn was bound to make his presence known soon. He navigated over to the internet browser icon on his desktop and clicked on it. “So, what am I looking for again?”

“How to kill a vampire,” said Dino as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“O…kay. Am I supposed to just type in ‘How do I kill a vampire’ in a search engine?”

“I mean, I guess. Try it.”

“Really?” Prompto swung back around and began searching despite his better judgment. He began to scroll through the endless search results, finding nothing that seemed relevant. “This is a waste of time, Dino.”

“No it’s not.” He tapped a finger on the computer screen, pointing at a specific link. “Click that one.”

“Silver bullets?” Prompto shook his head, but he clicked on the link anyway. “How the hell am I going to get pure silver bullets in time? You need a special furnace and a special mold; there’s no way I’m going to be able to get either one in two days. Pure silver is also expensive and it’s rare for a gunsmith to keep the materials on hand because no one buys it. Also, a silver bullet is lighter than lead and would be inaccurate when shot and ineffective as a result. And, according to this webpage, it doesn’t kill them, it just slows them down because silver slows their healing process. Plus--”

“Holy shit, please…” Dino held up a hand. “Stop. I get it. Silver is unrealistic. But, aren’t we fighting an unrealistic opponent?”

“True.” Dino had a point, but that still didn’t eliminate the limitations that they would have when trying to acquire pure silver bullets. “But I can’t get the bullets in time. There’s just no way and that won’t change.”

“What about regular bullets coated in silver? Will that work?”

“Possibly.” Prompto hadn’t thought about that. “But getting silver jackets might still take some effort.”

“I got a cousin that I can hit up. He’ll do anything for money.” Dino leaned closer to the screen. “Go back to the main search page.”

“Dino, I don’t think we’ll find anything else. We only have two days left and every second counts. I need to start developing our defensive plan.”

“Oh, ye of little faith. Type in ‘What crystals protect you from the undead?’”

“For real?” Prompto pushed himself away from the computer. “This is so dumb. I have better things to do instead of Moogling about how to use magic crystals as undead repellant. I just said I need to come up with our defensive plan.”

“So, this would help. Wouldn’t it? There’s another cousin of mine that deals in the gemstone trade. Some rare, others not so rare, but she has access to a large selection. Her best friend’s sister’s ex-husband’s niece just got her White Mage certification. Maybe she can bless some stones for us?” He pulled out a necklace from underneath his shirt. It was a pretty orange crystal surrounded by a green stone. “This is citrine and green aventurine. Supposed to attract prosperity and abundance. I had her bless this for me recently. Right before you called me about meeting Noctis. But…I’m still on the fence as to whether or not this path will lead me to prosperity. I’m actually wondering if I’ll even survive this.”

"You’ll survive this because you’re not going anywhere near Ardyn. Sorry to burst your bubble. He’ll rip your face off. He’s going to rip _my_  face off, so…no.” He crossed his arms. “Do you have a cousin that has good ideas? Because I’d like to hear some.”

“I have a few of my own. Really, I do.” Dino walked across the room, finally grabbing an extra chair and sitting next to Prompto. “You’ll like this one: stop being a judgmental asshole and keep an open mind.” He pointed at the screen. “Now, go to the main search. Search for…'psychic protection stones', instead.”

Prompto was tired of arguing and just did what he was told. Within seconds, hundred of thousands of hits were generated. He scrolled down the page slowly and waited for Dino to tell him to stop. Prompto ended up clicking on a webpage that described the healing and metaphysical properties of various stones and crystals and their uses.

“'Chalcedony',” said Dino as he began to read. “'Particularly effective with humanoid undead with necromantic powers'. Does that apply to him? Carnelian, agate, fluorite for physical protection. Amethyst for protection from negative psychic energy of all kinds. Black obsidian and jade shields against psychic attacks.” He looked at Prompto. “This is some pretty good shit, dude.”

“If you say so.”

“Are you really giving me a side-eye because I’m suggesting enchanted crystals? You’re the one sucking down enchanted potions that taste like garbage to, basically, do the exact same thing the crystals would. Besides, a little back up doesn’t hurt.”

“Sure, whatever.”

Prompto continued to scroll through the website and grit his teeth when Dino elbowed his arm, causing him to jerk the mouse’s cursor across the computer screen.

“Where’s Iris?”

“I don’t know.” He honestly didn’t. She went out to meet a girlfriend for a quick coffee date right after Dino arrived. That was about five hours ago.

“Don’t hold out on me,” Dino whined. He then smiled, sitting back in his chair. “I didn’t know they made pants that tight. Man, oh man.”

“I’m just going to ignore that comment.” He turned off his computer. “We don’t have a lot of time left with this potion. I only have a few more left, but we can drink another one if you want to discuss anything--”

“N-no, no…” Dino quickly stood up from his chair. “I’m good. I should probably go anyway.”

Prompto walked him to the front door. Dino looked at him for a moment before grabbing him into a tight hug.

“Thank you again for getting me the interview,” said Dino, resting his chin on Prompto’s shoulder. “You saved my career. I guess you’re not that big of a fucker, after all.”

Prompto smiled and lifted his arms to hug back.

“I’m glad you think so.”

Dino pulled away.

“We’re going to get Ardyn. I know it.”

Prompto wasn’t too sure about that.

**

Ardyn ended his astral projection.

“Fuck.”

He had entered Prompto’s apartment too late. He had finished killing a deceptively strong slut he had met earlier that morning, not too long ago. He went to the park, dressed in his usual attire he wore whenever he ventured out into the sun. He saw her jogging; her slim, sweaty body jiggling in all the right places underneath clothes that were barely suitable for exercise. He had lured her back to his home easily under the guise of quick sex, as he always did with his victims. He did indeed fuck her, but instead of letting her go, he threw her in his basement. He had kept her in the basement for a few hours, then killed her. She ended up causing Ardyn to struggle much more than he expected and he was angry that he wasted so much effort on her. By the time he had finished with her and projected into Prompto's room, he had caught only the tail end of his conversation with Dino. He heard Prompto talk about some potion, then saw the two exit the room so Dino could take his leave. He felt rage boil inside of him, but he suddenly remembered what else he had waiting for him and his anger subsided.

“Ah! My present.”

He got up from his chair. Unlike Noctis, Ardyn didn’t intentionally torture himself and live in a shit hole like Pitioss Ruins. He preferred to maintain a façade of normalcy. He lived in a quaint neighborhood that had a stretch of plain, but attractive, townhouses that were actually not too far from Prompto’s apartment. He enjoyed his townhouse. It was located on a corner lot, which allowed him to only have one neighbor instead of two, and the basement had thick concrete walls that blocked out almost every sound one could possibly make. When he first moved into the home, he went as far as having a housewarming party and invited all of his neighbors. Meeting everyone and assessing their personalities made it a lot easier for him to decide who to kill first. His townhouse was also located near a small coffee shop that he enjoyed visiting. Three nights a week, they would have live music and serve alcohol. He would sit with his usual glass of their Argentinian Malbec each night and observe all of the beautiful young men and women as they socialized. He would choose one of them to take back to his place so they could fuck, then he would subject them to a painful death as he sucked them dry.

He walked to his living room to enjoy his present that he had treated himself to. He saw it when he stopped by the coffee shop earlier while taking a break from his torture session and he couldn't resist it. It was a pretty little flower, just begging to be picked.


	9. Suffer in Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ardyn's background is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a flashback chapter dealing with Ardyn. Why he is the way he is, why he does the things the does. Naturally, it will be fucked up. Therefore, please heed my warning.
> 
> WARNING WARNING WARNING: Extreme, sensitive content to include child abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), pedophiliac and incestuous themes, rape, drug use, overdose, brief mention of mental illness and suicide. Please do not read if such things disturb/trigger you. If they do, this is a chapter that can be skipped with no impact to the overall plot.
> 
> Artemisia = Wormwood = Symbolic association is with bitterness of spirit, absence, and bitter sorrow.
> 
> Title of the chapter comes from "[Suffer in Truth](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ni6FlkXdDlY)" ([lyrics](https://genius.com/Meshuggah-suffer-in-truth-lyrics)) by the Swedish death metal band Meshuggah. An alternate title is "I Am a Horrible Person".

One of Ardyn’s most vivid memories was of one of when he went to the Royal Gardens with his brother. If he had to place his age, he would have estimated that he was a little over three-years-old. He remembered following after Regis; his pudgy, waddling body struggling to keep up with the older boy as they were running through the gardens.

“Weebis!” Ardyn yelled after him. It was the best he could do. He couldn’t work his tongue to say the name Regis quite yet. “Wait!”

Regis continued run. They ran deeper into the gardens and onto winding paths that were underneath arches of beautiful, fragrant flowers. They ran for almost a minute before Ardyn saw Regis dart to the right and into an intricate hedge maze. Ardyn stopped at the maze’s entrance, trying to catch his breath. He was hesitant to follow. He was pretty sure that he had been told numerous times not to go into the maze, but he figured that if Regis went in, then it was okay. Allowing his fear to be overpowered by his desire to find his brother, Ardyn went in. He quickly realized that choosing to follow was a poor decision. It didn’t take him long to become completely disoriented and he could see nothing but towering walls of green. The sights and the feeling of being trapped made Ardyn panic and he began to cry.

“Brother,” he wailed, blindly wandering deeper into the maze. “Brother, I’m lost.”

He eventually, somehow, wandered into the clearing in the middle of the maze. He ran to the only thing in there -- a lonely bench -- and threw himself upon it before collapsing to the ground. Ardyn let his sadness take control and he began sobbing, unable to do anything else. He exhausted himself, hiccuping as he fell into a fretful, shallow sleep, leaning against the edge of the bench. He didn’t know how long he was asleep before he felt someone kick his foot. He jerked awake, heart surging into his throat, and he looked up to see an unsmiling Regis standing over him.

“Brother!” Ardyn jumped up and clutched at Regis’ coat, trying to pull him closer. “You found me.”

Regis’ response was a resounding smack against Ardyn’s cheek. Ardyn spun to the side and he hit the concrete bench. As he tasted blood in his mouth, he could feel his fear come back. He began crying, confused, as Regis moved nearer and continued to hit him, his head and shoulders receiving the blows. Ardyn tried to talk but he could only scream and sob while he tried to shield himself.

“I am not your brother,” said Regis. “You are not mine.”

He continued to strike until Ardyn rolled into a ball on the ground. Regis paused as he heard a mournful, unsettling howl and he wondered if he had effectively destroyed Ardyn’s spirit. He smiled, hoping that was the case, and left the clearing. Ardyn tried to crawl after him but couldn’t make it an inch before he collapsed again. He rolled around in the grass, his tears mingling with the blood that was still in his mouth. He wondered if the entire chase was just a means to trap and beat him like an animal, but he refused to believe that his brother would do such a thing. Regardless of what Regis thought or said, he would always be a brother to Ardyn. Ardyn loved him dearly and he didn’t think that would change. He was certain that, deep down, Regis felt the same way and that he would be back shortly to pick him up off the ground so they could walk back to the castle, together. But that didn’t happen and the crisp yellow of the afternoon sun slowly transitioned to the warm orange of the evening. Ardyn’s physical pain was joined by one of the emotional nature and the combination rendered him useless and immobile. Regis was not coming back for him. Fully realizing that, he lay on his back, focusing on the sky above. It began to slowly darken. Ardyn could see the special, fleeting time when night and day occupy the same space as the sun is just below the horizon, signaling the transition to full dark. This blue hour that was typically associated with beauty was, instead, associated with numbing isolation and fear by Ardyn. He clenched his eyes shut as he prayed for night to never fall. That would be the first of many of his prayers to go unanswered.

***

He awoke to the sound of yelling. He opened his eyes and they struggled to focus, still not seeing much when they did. Large balls of fire danced in the air and Ardyn realized that they were the flames of the torches being held by running guards. He began crying again as he was surrounded and a guard swooped him up into his arms.

“Thank Shiva,” said the guard.

He held out a hand and a blanket was placed into it almost immediately. Ardyn hugged the man tightly as the blanket was wrapped around him. The guard hugged back and Ardyn continued to cry. He was desperate to hug and be hugged by anyone.

“You are safe now, my prince,” the guard whispered, swaying him and gently rubbing the back of his head. “How did this happen?”

Ardyn didn’t dare say.

***

The guard walked him by the hand into the throne room. He offered to carry Ardyn, but he insisted on walking, despite his sore body. He hobbled slowly into the room and to his father and mother, King Mors I and Queen Vera of Solheim. He could see Regis standing next to their father’s throne. While he could see concern on the faces of his parents, Ardyn saw no expression at all on Regis’. Regis stared at Ardyn coldly as he and the guard reached the foot of the throne. The guard kneeled.

“Your Majesty,” he said, bowing his head. “My Lady Queen. We have found His Highness Ardyn. He was located in the Royal Garden’s hedge maze.”

“Rise,” said Mors. The guard did so, placing a hand on Ardyn’s shoulder and gently pushing him towards the throne. “Many thanks for finding my son.”

The guard began to speak but was interrupted by gasping sounds coming from Vera’s throne.

“My…” Ardyn saw her composure crumble like a sand castle under the tide. He watched her silently, transfixed and bewildered. She was never this emotional when it came to him. She began to cry. “My sweet, sweet baby…”

She stood up from her chair and ran over to Ardyn, pulling him into her breast. She continued to cry and Ardyn began to feel uneasy when he felt her hot breath and tears on his face.

“My poor, poor Ardyn,” she whispered. He grunted softly as her arms became increasingly tighter around him like a constrictor. He was about to cry out when she pulled away and looked at Mors. “I need to tend to him.”

Mors’ mouth became a thin line and he glared at her. An uncomfortable air suddenly fell upon the room and the guard became anxious to be dismissed.

“I do believe that Nurse Catherine would best serve him at this time,” he responded.

“There is no better care for a child than the care of his mother.”

The guard licked his lips.

“Your Majesty--”

Mors looked at the guard.

“Dismissed.” The guard tried his hardest not to run back into the hall. Mors looked back at Vera. “Don’t you think he has been through enough tonight? There is no need for whatever game you are trying to play.”

Vera grabbed Ardyn tight again. His eyes shot to his father, then to his brother, silently asking for help. His father was looking at his mother, but Regis was looking directly at him. He was smiling now. Vera groaned and stood up, roughly grabbing Ardyn’s arm in the process.

“Come,” she said to him. “Tell your father he is in no position to tell me what to do, lest he wants the whole kingdom to know his little secret.”

There was nothing but silence as Vera hauled Ardyn up. She walked briskly out of the hall and he bounced on her hip. She looked at him as they walked and he could see something different within her. Her face made him feel strange and he became reacquainted with paralyzing fear, the new friend that he had made that day. His instinct was to grab his mother close, but he had a feeling that act would only make things worse for him. When they finally reached the Royal Chambers, she pushed past the guards before they could open the door for them.

“Leave us.”

They complied and she could barely get the door closed before she ripped Ardyn from her and threw him aside. He ran from her and tried to crawl under the bed, but his body was still too sore to move fast. She easily grabbed him, clutching a handful of his hair tightly and making him cry out. His heart raced. She had never been this physical with him before. She kneeled and pulled him close to her, his back against her chest, and she clamped a hand over his mouth. He could smell perfume: the odd scent of Artemisia that would be associated with her until the end of his days.

“You fucking shit,” Vera hissed. When Ardyn began to struggle against her, her fingernails dug into his cheek as she tried to press her hand against his mouth harder. “Ran away from Regis? Trying to get him trouble? If it weren’t for him, you would still be sniveling in the middle of the clearing.”

She whipped him around and slapped him, then picked him up and threw him facedown on the bed. He bounced on the mattress a few times, then settled into the duvet. He was still sprawled facedown and he decided to not move. He thought that, maybe if he pretended he was dead, she would leave him alone. That was not the case and Vera grabbed him by the ankles, pulling him towards the edge of the bed and flipping him over. Ardyn’s face was red and contorted in a grimace. He took a deep breath and prepared to bellow but his mother slapped him again, hard. She placed her hand over his mouth once more and leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“Don’t,” she warned. “Or else I will hurt you, real bad.”

Ardyn believed her, wholeheartedly. She continued to strike him, her blows much stronger than Regis’. His young mind struggled to understand what was happening; why there were two sides to everyone he knew, even his father. Regardless of the evil that he saw within his mother, what he believed to be her true nature, Ardyn still loved her as he did his brother. She was his mother and she always would be. She was the one who gave him life. She would always reign supreme in his mind even if she sometimes acted like she wanted to take it from him, too.

Ardyn listened to her and continued to endure her abuse. It persisted for what seemed to be ages and, as he huddled in a corner, he heard his stomach growl. It then cramped painfully and he couldn’t recall the last time he had eaten proper. As he was still a child, Ardyn had no concept of time outside of light and dark, day and night. There were no windows in the room and he had no idea of how long he had been in there. He wished that someone would come but he knew no one would. Vera was sitting at her writing desk, watching him from across the room. He felt as if he was being stalked and that one wrong move would result in his bloody demise from the predator that was his mother.

“Mommy,” he said weakly. “I’m hungry.” He couldn’t deny it anymore as he felt his hunger start to consume his body and mind.

“Oh?” She sat up in her chair and cocked her head, looking at him. She seemed to contemplate something for a while before she reached behind her. It took much effort but, eventually, she loosened her queen’s raiment. Ardyn watched with wide eyes as she then purposefully exposed her chest to him, the first image of naked breasts being etched permanently into his brain.

“Then come eat.”

***

Vera abused Ardyn in every way that the word could be defined. By the time he was six, he was more familiar with the female body than most adult men were; a fact that he didn’t appreciate until much later. Around his seventh birthday, he became curious to see if the bodies of other females looked, felt, and smelled the same as his mother’s. If they tasted the same. He decided to conduct a test with the daughter of a lady-in-waiting. She was pretty and smart and he liked her a lot. One day, he pulled her into a random area of the castle that didn’t have much foot traffic. He nudged her into a corner and he undressed before she let him slowly and completely undress her. Her body looked nothing like his mother’s, but he still wanted to touch it. Before he could though, he heard the clanking of armor behind him and saw two guards rush to where they were standing. One guard threw the girl’s dress over her and whisked her away. He never saw her again.

When he was brought in front of his mother and father, Ardyn frowned as his father severely admonished him until the point where he was red in the face. He didn’t know why his father was so angry; it was a simple, innocent instance of childhood exploration. He looked at his mother. Her face was completely neutral and it intrigued him. He wanted to know what she was thinking. Later on that night, her touch was angrier, rougher than usual, but there was another element to it. Jealousy wasn’t a concept that he could completely recognize or understand at the time, but it was one he would become very intimate with in the future.

It was a few years after that when his interests evolved. When he had hit the early stages of puberty at thirteen, he noticed that his body responded to males in a way that was similar to how it responded when he was around females. He remembered soliciting a servant boy his age to join him for a bath soon after his body’s revelation. Of course, the boy complied despite his obvious unease and basically let Ardyn do whatever he wanted. Ardyn wasn’t sure if he was compliant solely out of fear or for another reason but, frankly, he didn’t care. It was then that he noticed he enjoyed feeding on the fear of others a little, a fact that wasn’t really surprising. He had learned from the best.

As he continued to navigate the complicated terrain of the changing body and mind of a teenage boy, he made up for his ever-growing mental instability with his handsomeness. He was an exceptionally attractive young man, a fact that was known to both genders, young and old. He began to fuck his way through the entire court and would have gone through the entire kingdom if he could have. As his number of conquests grew, so did the self-confidence that his mother still insisted on tearing down constantly. He had finally realized the destructive nature of Vera, but it didn’t do much in terms of quelling his physical desire for her. If anything, to his disgust and dismay, it made him want her even more.

When he was fifteen, he engaged in a rare instance of bonding with Regis during an archery session. In reality, it wasn’t really a bonding moment. Instead, it was one last chance for Regis to berate him before he left the kingdom. Regis was set to leave on a “coming of age” journey that all male royals directly in line for the throne undertook when they turned nineteen. Regis would not return until it had been decided by the gods that he was ready to return and accept his future ascension to the throne with dignity and grace. Ardyn thought it was total bullshit and decided it wasn’t worth him worrying about since he would never be receiving the crown anyway, but Regis took it seriously.

Regis was the one who extended the invite. It would just be the two of them trying to spend one last moment together before his journey, he said. Ardyn was skeptical, but his constant desire to be close to his brother made him agree to meet. When they had met in the field, Ardyn noticed that he was just as unfriendly and unsmiling as ever. He had barely readied his longbow before Regis began to speak nastily.

“You’re a disgrace to the Lucis Caelum line,” said Regis.

Ardyn snickered. He didn’t know why he thought the time with his brother wouldn’t be completely miserable. He lifted his bow, drawing back his string.

“Is that why you called me out here?” He squinted an eye, aiming for his target. “To tell me what I’ve known for a long while?”

“So, when did you begin fucking her? Before or after you found out?”

Ardyn’s eye opened and he lowered his bow slightly.

“I do not follow, Brother.”

Regis spat out a laugh, pulling back his own string and quickly launching his arrow with minimal effort. Ardyn was annoyed when he saw it hit the target almost dead center.

“Yes you do. You are literally a mother fucker. I’ve known of your secret for quite some time; you are so transparent.” Regis readied his bow again while Ardyn dropped his to his side. Regis continued to speak without looking at him. “Although…it is quite interesting because, now that I think about it, I am not sure if that term is one hundred percent accurate in your case.”

“What are you getting at, Regis?”

“What I am getting at is that she is not your mother.”

As Regis shot his arrow, Ardyn clutched his own, letting his bow fall to the ground. It fell quietly in the grass and he gripped the fragile arrow, almost snapping it with his firm hold. Regis was barely paying attention to Ardyn, yammering on and shooting arrow after arrow as if he had something to prove.

“You are a bastard. A result of a certain misstep of our father when he was having some trouble with Mother. My mother. I cannot believe you do not know this by now. Surely you’ve sensed something?” Regis was astounded. “Tell me: do you want to fuck her more now that you know she’s not your real mother, or less?”

Ardyn knew that he could easily drive the arrow into Regis’ neck and end his life. He became hyperaware of the feeling of the arrow in his hand and tried to imagine how it would feel when it pierced and sunk deep into his brother’s soft, warm flesh. Regis continued to speak, yet continued to pay minimal attention to Ardyn. Even when he was speaking to him, he couldn’t really speak to him.

“I was fortunate enough to have the situation explained to me soon after your birth, then continually drilled into my brain over the following years. Mother decided it was best that I know. That I deserved to know. She did not want me wasting my love on a nasty bastard like you.”

Ardyn always wondered what he ever did to Regis. It tortured him, day after day, as he tried to figure out why his beloved brother loathed him. He supposed everything made sense now that he knew the truth. He contemplated the two courses of action he had -- to stab Regis, or not to stab -- and their consequences. Ultimately, he decided not to murder his brother and, as an alternative, decided to taunt.

“I see.” He bent over to pick up his bow, readied it, and aimed it. “Well, she is the only mother that I know. Therefore, she is my mother.” He paused. “I am sorry that she would rather fuck me than spend time with you. She always has.”

He smiled when he felt hands wrap around his throat. He let Regis push him to the ground and strike him without struggle. The feeling of him beginning to lose control over the situation was well worth the pounding of his fists.

***

The truth didn’t really change anything. Ardyn and Vera continued their relations while he continued his overall decline. He began to spend more time in the kingdom, traveling deep into the dark center of it where few have visited, let alone anyone of royal blood. He pushed himself to the limits of everything -- body, mind, spirit, morality -- each day and it was noticed by his father.

“This must stop, Ardyn. Please do not make me send you away.” Mors had called him in after one particularly rough night. He was still half drunk, but quickly sobered at upon hearing the threat.

“After all that has happened to me…” He felt whatever love he had left for his father disappear at that very moment. “This is when you choose to intervene?”

Ardyn made it a point to increase his debauchery after his meeting with his father. He integrated drugs with the alcohol and, by the time he was nineteen, he had overdosed six times. On his twentieth birthday, he consumed alcohol and drugs for what would be his last time. On that day, he visited the hedge maze clearing. He would go into the clearing often, delving deep within his mind to revisit the night that changed his entire life. He would sometimes do drugs there, waiting until dusk to take them so he could watch the dark slowly overtake the light as he felt his body grow heavy. But, this time, on his birthday, he was overzealous with a new drug that he had received from someone he didn’t know. Not long after he had smoked it, he began to convulse.

Once his seizure stopped, Ardyn noticed that he felt strangely better and was soon convinced that he was dead. He sat up and looked around. The clearing was darker and quieter than usual and he began to shiver; it suddenly became cold. He cried out as something large floated in front of him.

_Do not fret, my child. We are not here to hurt you._

Ardyn saw the source of the voice and the cold. Shiva presented herself in front of him. More astrals appeared and, soon, he could see Titan, Ramuh, and Leviathan. Behind Shiva was Bahamut, silently watching over Ardyn, Ultima Sword in hand. Ardyn’s heart was hammering against his chest as he looked at them.

“I am dead,” he whispered. “I am dead or dying.”

 _That is true,_ responded Shiva. _You are dead. But we can bring you back._

“Why? For what?”

_We need your help. Our brother is about to betray us. He is trying to bring about our downfall and destroy Solheim._

“What do you mean? Why me?”

_We see something in you that others do not. We believe that there is potential for something greater that resides deep inside of you._

Ardyn sighed with relief. It was so nice to hear someone finally say what he hoped was true for all of his life.

 _Sickness will plague your people. You will be one of two that will help them heal. You are the Great Healer who will also have the responsibilities of the King. We have chosen you instead of your brother_.

“I will be King?”

_You will not only succeed your father as King, you will be the True King. The King of Light. The Chosen One._

Suddenly, his left hand was surrounded by a purplish aura. He raised it and saw a ring materialize.

_The Ring of Lucii harnesses the power of the Crystal as well as the power of your predecessors. Such power will assist you with saving Eos as well as protecting the Crystal itself._

“How will I save it? What will I do?”

_You will know when the time comes._

“What will happen after I do?”

_You will die, but you will ascend to the Astral Realm where you will finally have the peace you are seeking, for all of eternity._

Ardyn closed his eyes and began to cry.

“Thank you.”

_Do not thank us yet. You will continue to live in Hell before you can live in Heaven. But it is up to you regarding how you deal with it._

He had been found, leaning against the old concrete bench that remained the only thing in the clearing. He was weak but still conscious and had a strong sense of déjà vu when he felt a guard haul him up from the ground.

“Your Highness,” said the guard. He sounded pained. “Please, stop destroying yourself.”

Ardyn nodded.

“I will.”

***

The rehabilitation process was more painful than anything Ardyn had ever experienced. The thought that he was going to die crossed his fevered, delusional mind several times, but he persisted. Over the years, Ardyn was constantly reminded of his resilience. Before, it would frustrate him but, now, it was finally being put to good use. It took him a week to recover. When it was over, he sat up in bed and felt reborn, both physically and mentally.

“You are finally well, my child. I can see it in your eyes. You are strong.”

His father looked happy. Both of his parents had stopped by his room to visit. His mother stood behind his father, watching Ardyn with a fake smile. Ardyn expected to have the urge to say something rude, but he was surprised to feel nothing but serenity. He reached for his father’s hand, who took it.

“No, Father. I am lucky. The gods have spoken to me and have revealed my true purpose.”

Vera rolled her eyes. Ardyn talked to his father for a few more moments. It was the first time that he had talked to him sober since he was young. His mother cleared her throat.

“I would like to speak with my son,” she said to Mors. “Alone.”

Mors hesitated, but eventually left. Ardyn was disappointed to see that his father was still tightly wrapped around his mother’s finger. Once the door shut behind him, Vera sighed and tried to slide into the bed.

“Gods, I thought he would never leave,” she said as she ran a hand over Ardyn’s chest. He grabbed her wrist, halting her, and she let out a small exclamation of surprise.

“Stop.” He lifted her hand from his chest and threw it off him roughly. “Never again.”

She was momentarily stunned before her face flushed with anger.

“How…how dare you! I will do whatever I please. I am your mother!”

“No, you are not. What you are is a child rapist who couldn’t please her husband, so he turned to a commoner. My real mother.” Vera’s nostrils flared. “Do you think anyone will care about Father’s transgressions, over twenty years ago? His people love him. You, on the other hand, not so much. And I am certain that pedophilia is much worse than adultery.”

“You wouldn’t.” Her tone was harsh, but Ardyn could tell she was afraid. Nevertheless, she was defiant and he became angry at her unwillingness to concede.

“I would. So leave me the fuck alone.”

Vera listened to him. Ardyn was glad she had enough sense to do so; that eliminated the need for him to kill her. While he had made a vow to turn to a life of purity, there would always be shadows that accompanied the newfound light within him.

***

When Ardyn turned twenty-five, the disease Shiva spoke of had started to spread. It ravaged the Solheim populace and he had barely finished the trials imposed upon him by the astrals to train him for the responsibilities of the Great Healer before it did. He remembered being scared and shaking as he began healing people. The first person he had ever healed was a very young girl. He took her thin, sickly body from her hysterical mother and into his arms. He would never forget relieving her of pain and suffering and feeling it enter his own body. It was a weird experience, one he did not like. As he continued to go through the process of cleansing the afflicted, he wondered if the duties of the Great Healer were really for him. But, he remembered what Shiva had promised him and decided that he would literally do anything requested if it meant he could ascend to the Astral Realm.

It was around this time that Regis had a child. Regis took the news of not succeeding to the throne surprisingly well and decided to venture outside the kingdom for a second time. When he returned, he brought back a beautiful dark haired woman from the far east named Aulea. They married and, roughly a year later, became parents. By then, Regis and Ardyn had developed a semblance of a relationship, albeit a strained one and on the day of the baby’s birth, Ardyn had been invited to see it. The baby was a boy named Noctis. Much to Ardyn’s delight, he looked nothing like Regis; rather, he favored his mother, inheriting her pale skin, black hair, and striking blue eyes. 

“He is special,” Ardyn whispered, looking at Noctis and rubbing soft black hair as he held him. Aulea smiled, but Regis just watched.

“Yes,” said Regis, reaching for Noctis. “He is.”

***

Two years had passed. The people of Solheim had started to worship Ardyn and shower him with adulation and love. It was more than anything he could have imagined and riding the wave of their praise made his duties almost tolerable. He continued to heal the sick but ended up not being able to heal his sister-in-law. She had succumbed to an illness that he found he could not touch: one of the mind. She had killed herself on Noctis’ second birthday and had totally blindsided Regis. Regis struggled to care for Noctis while simultaneously dealing with his grief and managed to do so until Noctis turned six. He left the kingdom for a third time, leaving Noctis behind, and was in and out of his son’s life since then. Ardyn couldn’t stand to see the child be raised by hired help and he began to cultivate a close relationship, spending much time with him. Noctis was beautiful and strong in both mind and spirit despite his age. Ardyn truly enjoyed being around him and his meetings with him became one of the few things that made his life enjoyable.

He sat with Noctis in his lap one day, reading to him. Noctis was running his tiny hands through his hair, commenting on how odd the color was. Ardyn thought that the odd hair was only fitting for such an odd person such as himself. When Noctis asked him if he enjoyed being the Great Healer, he was hesitant to tell him the truth. The truth would be a disappointment, so he decided not to express it. The answer he gave was an ambiguous one, deflecting the question by expressing how dedicated he was to his responsibilities. Noctis seemed pleased with the answer. It pleased Ardyn to please him.

When Ardyn realized that he was dying, it was when Noctis was a teenager. He began to feel weak all the time and one of his hands started exhibiting signs of necrosis. At the sight of his dying, blackening hand, Ardyn genuinely became frightened of what was going on inside of his body. A new disease called Starscourge was unleashed by Ifrit upon Solheim. When Ardyn absorbed it for the first time, it was as if he was knocked senseless. He was lethargic and dazed after that and hadn’t been the same since.

Even as his health steadily failed him and he felt himself yielding to the stress of his healing, Ardyn always made sure to spend time with Noctis. They spent an absurd amount of time together, which was something that greatly disturbed Regis. Ardyn was unsure if it was jealousy or something else, but he felt that it was too late for Regis to be feigning concern for the well-being of his son after not doing so for eight years. When the two were together, they would do various things. Noctis would teach him how to fish, Ardyn would sing for him, they would play chess together. Noctis’ favorite thing was when Ardyn would read to him, which would be often. He hated studying and reading himself but enjoyed hearing Ardyn read.

“Your voice soothes me, Uncle,” said Noctis.

They were reviewing a bestiary one night when Ardyn began coughing up blood. As Noctis watched him begin to fall apart, Ardyn was asked why he insisted on assisting the people of Solheim who were thankless and no longer revered him. He had no answer to that. When he had finally calmed down, he continued to read and fell upon the section about the strigoi, a foolish legend that spoke of immortality and bloodsucking. It was garbage, a child’s story, and the idea of immortality on Eos was revolting to Ardyn. But, when Noctis talked about embracing immortality only if he did, Ardyn wondered if it was such a bad thing after all. Noctis put his hand on Ardyn’s leg after he made his statement and Ardyn began to feel his disturbing thoughts and emotions finally seep through, like black sludge oozing through cracks in clean, white porcelain. 

***

He didn’t remember when exactly he began to extensively study the strigoi, but he imagined it was during an exceedingly desperate time in his life when he was looking for anything that could possibly help him. His sickness was getting worse. He was dying by helping others not die and he had yet to fulfill all of his duties to ensure his entry to the Astral Realm. Praying and hoping that the astrals would visit him so he could beg for help did nothing. Once, he was bedridden. He was so sick that he had to suspend his healing. After the worst of the illness, he continued to recover in bed and the chamber maid brought him a book. It was a book about the supposed history of the strigoi. He read it with a dubious eye -- his opinion of them hadn’t really changed -- but he took a closer look when he saw his family name in the text. It was towards the end of the book, and some kind of link between his bloodline and the strigoi was insinuated. He wanted to learn more, but the book ended prematurely; almost abruptly, as if the author of the book finished it on an incomplete thought.

As soon as he could walk again, he created a small study in a spare room. He filled it with books about the strigoi and numerous parchments that detailed the Lucis Caelum lineage. It was separate from his main study. He didn’t want Noctis asking questions. He would pour over the documents whenever he had the free time, which was actually quite often. He couldn’t keep up with the Starscourge infections. There were too many people dying. For every one he healed there were four or five that died. The Great War raged on. Solheim was slowly being destroyed and fading into non-existence. He didn’t really see the point in healing when he was ineffective. Neither did his people. So, Ardyn had time, and he spent it by studying the creatures that he was beginning to believe weren’t so mythical anymore.

He learned of the secret connection between the Lucis Caelum line and the strigoi around the time he learned of the extent of the strigoi’s abilities. A small, irrational spark of hope flared within him. If he could find one, it was possible that he himself could be healed. But, he didn’t know if he would be willing to pay the price. While he had been miserable almost all of his life, the price of his mortality was a steep one. Plus, he wasn’t sure if they even truly existed. He couldn’t believe he was thinking about such things. Surely the creatures didn’t exist. But, as his mental state began deteriorating with his physical state, he was beginning to not know the difference between reality and unreality.

He was finally visited by the astrals one night.

_You disappoint us._

“I…” Ardyn didn’t know what to say. “I apologize.”

_Apologies mean nothing. You are unclean._

Ardyn thought that the term could apply to him in so many different ways. He didn’t know what exactly Shiva was referencing.

_I am referencing the amount of darkness and disease inside of you. The Starscourge has made you unclean._

“I am simply doing what has been requested of me, my goddess.”

 _We made a mistake,_ she said almost lamely. _You are not to be the Great Healer, the Chosen One. The duties of King and Healer will be split, from hereafter. Your brother shall be King after all, but even he is not the Chosen One. The one that has sprung from his seed shall be._

“Noctis?” Ardyn was struggling to comprehend her words.

_He will be the one to finally purge Eos of darkness, whenever that may be. You will continue to heal the sick until the Crystal deems you unworthy to do so._

Ardyn’s hand began to glow. The Ring of Lucii disappeared.

_You will still be granted the Crystal’s power to heal. However, the Ring is not yours._

“But…the Astral Realm…”

_Is no longer for you._

***

Noctis moved in with Ardyn after the visit from the astrals. It was the last thing that Ardyn wanted, but he couldn’t help it. He was lonely. He also missed Noctis and seeing his face; he wasn’t coming around as often. But, sometimes, he would look at him and remember Shiva’s words and wonder why he hadn’t killed him yet.

Roughly three months after Noctis’ arrival, Ardyn finally lost his mind. He went on a rampage, scaring everyone in the house. He didn’t really remember everything that he did or said, he just remembers emerging from the psychotic break as a different person. He was no longer the Ardyn that he had always known, which wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He finally acknowledged the words that Noctis had said to him, so long ago, about continuing to give yourself without limits when you received nothing in return. He had been the lover but had never been truly loved for as long as he could remember. He was tired.

It was during this time that Ardyn had basically confirmed the strigoi’s existence, he just needed to locate them. His study was full of books and maps of caverns, labyrinths, forests, all pertaining to the creatures. The walls were covered in parchment, books were strewn about, and the room became a wild, overwhelming mess. He thought it was a proper reflection of his current state of mind. If he found a strigoi, his body would be able to regenerate. He was willing to become immortal if it meant he could regain his health. He didn’t want to die yet. He had to find them. There was still something he had to accomplish.

***

He had returned to his estate a month following his quest to find the strigoi. He was officially one of them and fully healed as a result. While he was on his short, but very successful, journey, he thought about his life and all the events that led up to his current state of being. He constantly ruminated over Shiva’s admission that they had made a mistake when picking him and that Noctis was the Chosen One. The murderous urges he had for Noctis were still there, but the love that Ardyn had for the boy -- both pure and impure -- made it difficult to commit to going through with the act. He decided that he was going to give Noctis a chance to join him, instead.

When he told Noctis of his true nature, the boy was frightened.

“Them…” His voice was barely audible. “You are one of them.”

“Yes, I am one of them. And it is wonderful!” It truly was. “I want to share this wonder with you.”

Ardyn finally touched Noctis in the way that he had been wanting to for the past decade. He held him tightly, burrowing his face into Noctis’ neck, moaning as he licked and kissed it. Ardyn placed a palm on the middle of Noctis’ back and pushed him closer as he whispered.

“I want to share it with you.”

But Noctis wanted nothing of the sort. He had rejected Ardyn, like everyone else. It was then that Ardyn determined that choice was a privilege that not everyone was granted. From then on, he promised himself that he would be the one taking instead of giving.

***

Ardyn had turned Noctis against his will and aimed to break him in every way possible. They lived together for years as Master and Protégé, hunting humans night after night. Ardyn experienced extreme pleasure from their hunts. He would envision every man, woman, and child that he mauled as those who had turned on him when he was Great Healer. Doing so would make the torture much more fun for him. Once, after raping and slaughtering a widow and her six young girls, he surprised even himself with his level of sadism. Noctis cried after they were done.

“Please,” he begged. “Stop. Why? Why do you do this?”

There were several approaches Ardyn could take to answer the question, but he chose the most truthful and least complicated one.

“Because I want to.”

***

One morning, Ardyn slipped out of bed and he left. He watched Noctis for about a week after his departure. Him being gone made Noctis confused and scared. He had no idea as to why Ardyn had left and, as a result, was constantly on guard, waiting for him to come back. Ardyn enjoyed Noctis’ anxiety. After three months without his Master, Noctis left the home they shared and ventured out into the ruins of Solheim, by himself.

He didn’t know why he left. It certainly wasn’t because he felt sorry for Noctis and the life that he took from him. Ardyn decided that it didn’t matter; he didn’t really know why he did most of the things he did. He just did. His actions held no meaning because nothing held any meaning. He was okay with that though. Sometimes, that’s just the way life is.


	10. The End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end is nigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's almost over, kids. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Hands were shaking Prompto, bouncing him up and down on his mattress. He was startled awake, feeling that terrible sense of confused fear, and his heart raced as he jerked his head up from his pillow. His eyes blindly searched the room. It was still dark and he couldn’t see. Prompto felt around for his cellphone on the nightstand, its light unapologetically blinding, and he looked at the time: it was barely four in the morning. He fumbled for his lamp and eventually focused on Gladio who was standing over him.

“Gladio?” His voice was thick with sleep. He could see that Gladio was distressed and unease quickly replaced his fatigue. He sat up on an elbow, heart beating fast for a different reason. “Gladio, what happened?” He had asked the question, but he had a feeling he already knew the answer and he began to feel an awful sensation in his stomach.

“She’s still gone, Prompto. This isn’t like her.”

Prompto sat up in the bed, rubbing at his face. He stopped rubbing and sat still, covering his face with his hands for a moment as he debated whether or not to tell what he believed happened. He dropped his hands into his lap. He could tell that Gladio hadn’t slept at all and his dismay and confusion were palpable.

“Sit down.”

They stared at each other for a moment, realization sinking in for Gladio. 

“You know where she is, don’t you?”

“I…” Prompto felt his heart beat even faster. “I don’t know where she is, but--”

“But you know who has her. Is it Noctis?”

“What? No!”

“That fucking stupid vampire. How did Iris get caught up in his shit?”

“It wasn’t him, it’s not his fault!”

But, really, it was. Kind of. It was Prompto’s fault, too. He never meant for Gladio and Iris to get involved in any of the danger that being close to Noctis brought.

“Well then, who has her?” Gladio was screaming now, and Prompto felt an unfamiliar sense of danger from being around him. Gladio had never intentionally physically harmed Prompto but his rage made Prompto unsure if that would remain the case. “How could this not have anything to do with your fucking boyfriend?”

Prompto grew angry and defensive.

“If you would just shut up for a moment and give me a chance to explain, that would be nice!”

Gladio ignored him.

“You’re so irresponsible, Prompto. You don’t give a fuck about anyone but yourself and Noctis. Ever since you two stopped wanting to kill each other, you’ve been consumed by him. You barely spend time with me, you don’t spend time with Iris. And, now, she’s been kidnapped because of you. I don’t know what is going on, but you’d better fix it. Find her!”

Prompto clamped his lips together, hard. His anger subsided and he felt the guilt creep in. Everything Gladio was saying was the truth; denying it would simply be insulting. He began crying. At the sight of this, Gladio seemed to quell some of his anger. He finally sat down at the foot of the bed, looking at a point on the wall. The fact that he couldn’t look at Prompto hurt the most.

“I don’t…I just…” Prompto didn’t know what to say other than the truth, what should have been said way back when he began sacrificing one relationship for another. “I’m sorry. I am so sorry.”

Gladio lowered his head, looking down at the floor. They sat in silence for a few, excruciating seconds.

“I want you to find Iris.”

Prompto sniffed and nodded.

“I don’t know where she is, but I know who has her. There’s an explanation for everything that is happening. I promise. But I’m not the one that can give it to you.”

Gladio shook his head, still looking at the floor.

“What the fuck does that mean?” He looked up, finally meeting Prompto’s gaze. He snickered. “What, are you gonna have me talk to Noctis?”

“…Yeah.”

***

Ardyn sat in his kitchen, enjoying some tea. He drank slowly as the sun rose, its glow peeking from behind the slats of the closed kitchen blinds. He was appreciating the experience. He didn’t believe that one could truly enjoy life if they couldn’t take a moment and savor a nice cup of good tea. He sat at the kitchen table, reflecting on the most recent events and determining his next course of action. He continued to drink as he heard the muffled screams emanating from his basement. Smiling, he unhurriedly finished his cup, then rose from his chair.

“Time to tend to my little flower.”

He made his way to his living room, grabbing sections of plastic tarp out of a utility closet on his way there. Tucking them underneath his arm, he entered the room and went over to his entertainment center, removing a blank compact disc from a shelf. He crossed over to the other side of the room to grab a few more things before he descended to the basement. He reached a plain cherry wood cabinet in the corner and opened it up. It housed his various torture instruments: heretic’s forks, knives and clamps of various sizes, saws, prongs and speculums, and other absurd instruments of torture that would only seem fitting for a man like him. While in a good mood, he didn’t feel particularly adventurous, and it wouldn’t take much to stomp his flower out of existence, anyway. He settled for a medium sized knife, rope, and a garrote. The garrote had a knot in the center of the wire, which was intended to aid in the crushing of the larynx. Just in case. He learned his lesson after his experience with that bitch of a runner.

He finally headed down the basement stairs, the screams and banging amplified.

“Ah, yes.” He sighed. “Such lovely screams that no one can hear but me.”

He stopped in front of a door. It wasn’t anything special, simply a door to a storage room. The storage room was a good size but never housed anything except for a chair that was bolted down in the middle of the floor, a tripod and camera, and his victims. Iris was still banging on the door. Ardyn pushed it open, hard, and she fell backwards and onto the ground. Upon seeing Ardyn, her shrieks became louder and she began to slide back into a corner.

“You are loud,” said Ardyn. He shut the door and smiled. “You should save your energy.”

Iris cowered, sobbed. Her pretty face was red, her eye makeup smeared around her eyes and down her face in black mascara tears; an image that never ceased to arouse him. She shrank in the corner as much as she could, crying into her hands.

“Please, no,” she begged, voice hoarse. She dropped her hands and looked up at Ardyn, pleading. “No please no.”

Ardyn cocked his head.

“Why, I haven’t even started to do anything.” He walked over the camera and the tripod. The camera was positioned about five feet away from the chair and was pointed directly at it. He inserted the disc he brought from upstairs. “However, I do like the sound of those words coming out of your mouth. Say them again.”

Iris screamed, suddenly bolting from the corner, and tried to run past Ardyn and to the door. She was easily intercepted by him, him grabbing her violently by the hair and throwing her on the floor. He dropped the rest of the items he was carrying and stood over her, grabbing her hair again and pulling her up. His fist quickly connected with her face and Iris moaned weakly as she leaned over and bled on the floor.

“I do not like to spend my time cleaning blood from all over the place, so please try to keep your blood confined to the designated areas,” he said, nodding over to the tarps. He bent over and picked them up, placing the four plastic rectangles around the chair. “I’ll let this instance slide.”

When he was finished preparing, he walked back over to Iris and yanked her up by an arm. She felt like she was choking on her blood when she opened her mouth to scream as he pulled, her arm just barely remaining in the socket. He placed her onto the chair, but then seemed to remember something.

“Stand up.”

Iris listened to him, but struggled to stay upright. He pulled her close to him, supporting her, and stared for a moment. Iris was young and very attractive and Ardyn always had a hard time remaining gentlemanly around pretty women for long. He leaned into her, sniffing the crook of her neck as a hand slowly trailed up her torso and to her breasts. The hand landed at her left breast, slowly kneading it through her thin shirt. She said nothing, fearing more physical abuse that she wouldn’t be able to take. Ardyn smiled and continued to molest her before ripping open her shirt, exposing her bra. He lowered his hand to rest it between her legs, cupping her at the juncture of her thighs. He moaned, biting his lip as he began rubbing her jeans slowly and roughly against her. He kissed her hard and sloppily before he spoke into her ear, his hot breath making her cringe.

“My flower, my pretty, pretty flower,” he whispered. “You are so kind. Too kind. Do you regret stopping to help a bum on the street? To think that you would actually believe my story of my injured dog in an alley.” He laughed against the side of her face. “How simple are you, Iris? Thank you for making it so easy for me.

“I am going to take your clothes off.” He continued to whisper, continued to feel her. “Make a sound, and I will destroy you.”

She obeyed. He undressed her completely and placed her in the chair. Grabbing the rope out of his pocket, he tightly secured her hands to the chair, leaving her legs unbound. He needed to have easy access in case he felt the urge. He kneeled in front of her, running his hands up both her legs and spreading them wide, fully exposing her to him. She cried soundlessly as she felt what little remained of her dignity slip away. He gave her thighs a light pat before standing.

“I have a knife and a garrote to strangle you with, if the situation requires that I do so. Really, I don’t need anything and can very easily kill you with only my bare hands and daemonic strength, but that’s no fun. I would like to make my video before that happens though.” He walked over to the camera and turned it on, pressing record. “Now, say hello to your big bro and your friends.”

***

“The sun’s rising.”

Gladio sat in a chair the apartment’s living room, a comfortable reading chair by the windows that was Iris’ favorite. Prompto was in the kitchen making coffee, desperate to do anything that could possibly make Gladio hate him less, even if just a little.

“Yes, it is. Is is pretty?”

He poured a cup and brought it to him, holding it out for him to take. When Gladio didn’t respond, Prompto felt the hole in his heart begin to grow cavernous in size. He set the cup down on the side table next to Gladio, then sat down in the chair across from him. He stared at Gladio, silently begging for him to look at him as he began to speak again.

“Gladio, I--”

“The sun is rising, so how are we going to talk to Noctis?” He was losing patience. It had already been two hours since he woke Prompto up and the situation had not really changed. As Gladio continued to watch the sun rise, he hoped that Iris was okay and that she had the chance to watch it too, from wherever she was.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought vampires couldn’t be in the sunlight.”

He finally looked at Prompto. Prompto wished he hadn’t.

“Well, uh…” Prompto cleared his throat, feeling it tighten. “They can. Well, he can. His kind. The sun doesn’t do anything unless they stay in it for prolonged periods of time without protection. He’ll just get something like a really bad sunburn if he’s not careful, pretty…much…” Prompto trailed off as Gladio went back to looking out the window.

“So when are you going to call him? Or are you just going to wait around until Iris is found dead?”

That stung Prompto and he couldn’t help but gasp a little. Gladio looked at him, his face softening. He shook his head.

“Look, I’m sorry. That was uncalled for. I’m just scared, Prompto. Something really bad happened.”

Prompto nodded, trying not to cry again. He understood that Gladio was angry and scared, but that didn’t make his words and attitude any less scathing. It was something that was completely foreign to Prompto and he was having a hard time dealing with it.

“I’m sorry,” Gladio repeated and, after a moment, reached to the side of his chair and over to the table. Prompto felt hopeful when Gladio grabbed the cup of coffee and took a sip. “Pretty good. You’re learning.”

Gladio relaxed slightly, but Prompto couldn’t help but feel nervous as he contemplated his answer, regarding Noctis’ call.

“I have to wait to talk to him, to answer your question. I have to wait until whenever he contacts me.”

“With that telepathy thing?” Prompto nodded and Gladio laughed. “Are you serious?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why don’t you just get him a cellphone?”

Prompto felt his face flush. He had never even considered that option and felt stupid. Gladio laughed again, harder.

“Dummy. But, in your defense, he didn’t think about it either.”

He smiled, setting his coffee down and holding out a hand. Prompto smiled back.

***

An hour later, the blinds were drawn in the living room as they waited for Noctis to show. Eventually Noctis warped into the darkened room, startling Gladio a little. Gladio watched with great interest when Noctis rushed over to Prompto and kissed him, grabbing his face with both hands and pulling him close. Kissing Noctis in front of Gladio made Prompto nervous, but when he glanced over to see if he reacted, he saw nothing. Gladio got up from his chair and walked over to Noctis, who broke free from Prompto. The two men stared at each other in silence. It was treading into awkward territory until Gladio reached out.

“Gladio,” he said, waiting until Noctis accepted his handshake. Noctis did, slowly grabbing his hand. “I’ve heard some pretty bad things about you. But, I’ve been hearing some pretty great things about you, too.”

Noctis smiled and shook back. Prompto could tell that Noctis was relieved, as he was clearly anticipating some type of confrontation.

“It’s nice to finally meet you.” His smile faltered. “I’m so sorry about Iris. It’s all my fault.”

“That may be, but I’m going to try and not point fingers anymore. All I care about is finding my sister.” Gladio released Noctis’ hand and sat back down in his chair. “So. Prompto says there’s a story for you to tell?” 

Noctis and Prompto sat down next to each other on the couch as Noctis recounted his life’s story once again. For Prompto, hearing it for the third time wasn’t any easier than the first or the second. He reached over to grab Noctis’ hand and gave it a squeeze. Gladio was enraptured, staying quiet the entire time, but he became visually bothered as he learned more about Ardyn. Once Noctis finished, Gladio sat back in his chair, processing everything.

“Do you believe me?” Noctis asked. He didn’t know why it mattered, but he wanted to make sure that Gladio did.

“I’m sitting in my living room, having a chat with a strigoi, and you’re asking me if your story is believable?”

Noctis laughed a little.

“Yes. You’re right.” He became solemn again. “I had no idea that Ardyn would take Iris. I should have though. He will stop at nothing if it means he can hurt me or the ones I love. I never wanted any of you to get mixed up in this. I’ll do anything I can to protect you guys and get your sister back.”

“I don’t need any protection from that fucker. You just need to help Iris.”

“So, what do we do?” Prompto asked. “We have no idea where Ardyn is.”

“I don’t know, but we need to be careful about what we think and say. Ardyn can probe your mind telepathically and can project just like me. I’m certain that he has projected into your apartment already, but I don’t understand why he hasn’t spoken to you yet. It’s still possible that he has entered your mind though. He can do it much more stealthily than I can. You most likely wouldn’t feel a thing. Anything we think or say needs to be carefully guarded.”

“Yes. I have a little bit of that stuff left,” said Prompto, being purposefully vague. Noctis nodded but Gladio just looked on in confusion. “Is he here now? Can you sense him at all?”

“No, I can’t. But, that really doesn’t mean anything. He could have done something to conceal himself.”

“So, what do we do?” Gladio echoed Prompto. He was getting frustrated again. “We just wait until he contacts us?”

“The only thing I can do is project and try to find his exact location. I can’t try to probe his mind as it stands now, because I don’t know where he is. It would be like me searching for a signal, and never establishing a connection. I highly doubt I would be successful anyway. I’m sure he has taken the necessary precautions to guard himself.”

“You serious? Projecting will take forever. You’d essentially have to search the entire continent.”

“I know. But, I can’t think of any else. I can’t even guarantee that I’ll be successful at that. Ardyn is much more powerful than me. He has many more advanced skills. He could be cloaking himself completely.”

“So, what good are you then?” Gladio yelled. It caught both Noctis and Prompto off guard. “Seriously, what the fuck can you do?”

“Gladio!” 

Noctis shook his head at Prompto.

“I…” Gladio began taking deep breaths. “Shit…” His face slowly crumbled as he began to cry. He got up from the chair and left the living room.

“This is unlike him,” said Prompto. “I’ve never seen him like this.”

“I know. But, it’s Iris. It’s to be expected.” Noctis wiggled on the couch as he seated himself into a more comfortable position. He closed his eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“The only thing I can do. I’ll have to scan until I find him. If I can.”

“That’ll take forever, like Gladio said,” argued Prompto. “Won’t you get sick if you do it for too long? Let’s think of something else.”

“There is nothing else. We’re wasting time. I’ll be okay.”

Nothing else was said and Noctis began to project. Leaving him alone, Prompto rose from the couch and walked to Gladio’s room. The door was open and Gladio lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had ceased his crying but looked more despondent than ever. Prompto knocked quietly on the door frame.

“May I come in?”

“Yes.”

Prompto sat on the bed by Gladio’s feet. He put a hand on Gladio’s leg and was thankful that he didn’t pull away.

“I don’t want to render the term meaningless to you, so I’m not going to say I’m sorry anymore,” Prompto began. “Noctis is going to do everything he can to find Ardyn. We are going to find him. Then, we’re going to take him down. Together.”

“I’m not too sure about that,” said Gladio. He sounded tired. “How can we handle someone that powerful? That shrewd? He seems to always be one step ahead.”

“We’ll come up with something.” He could barely mask his doubt.

“How can we even formulate a plan? He could be listening or watching at any time.”

Prompto was beginning to feel overwhelmed. There were so many questions and no true answers. He really had no idea how they were going to find Ardyn, let alone how they would defeat him and retrieve Iris. He didn’t say anything else as he cautiously crawled into the bed and next to Gladio. Gladio said nothing and didn’t move away. Prompto reached around him, pulling him into a hug. Gladio began to cry again and, this time, Prompto cried with him. They cried together until they both fell into a shallow, troubled sleep.

*** 

It was about two hours later when Prompto was startled awake for the second time that day. He opened his eyes as he heard a knock at the door: Noctis was standing there, looking concerned. Prompto sat up, immediately distancing himself from Gladio’s still sleeping form.

“Noctis…It’s not--”

“I know.” He smiled. “I’m not worried anymore.” Prompto could tell he was telling the truth. “Come into the living room with me.”

Prompto got out of bed and led Noctis back into the hallway, shutting the bedroom’s door behind him.

“What’s wrong?”

He then heard the knocking at the front door. He looked at Noctis, frantic.

“Is it Ardyn?”

“Do you really think he’s going to knock?”

Prompto smiled sheepishly. They walked into the living room and he went to the front door, looking through its peep hole. There was a young girl dressed in ordinary clothes waiting. She was holding a small package.

“It’s a girl,” said Prompto in a low, puzzled voice, looking at Noctis. Noctis shrugged. “She has a package.” He opened the door, not thinking that it could be a trap until the very last minute. The girl held out the package and was expressionless.

“Some old dude paid me fifty bucks to deliver this to you. Said he knows you.” She wiggled the box. “Take it, man.”

She shoved it into Prompto’s hand and was gone before he could respond. He shut the door and sat down on the couch, staring at the package.

“Want me to open it?” Noctis walked over and sat down next to him. Prompto shook his head.

“I can do it.”

“You can do what?”

They looked up from the box to see Gladio standing in the doorway.

“Sorry if we woke you up,” apologized Prompto. “I was trying to let you sleep some more.”

“I’ve slept enough,” he said. He made his way to the couch and sat down next to Noctis. “What’s that box?”  
  
“I don’t know.” Prompto held it up to his ears, shaking it slightly to try and determine its contents by sound. Something slid around inside and he could hear blunt edges hit the sides of the box. “It sounds like something…hard and relatively flat.”

“Damn, just give it to me,” said Gladio, grabbing it out of Prompto’s hands. “Wuss.” He removed the brown wrapping paper to reveal a simple white box. He sat the box on his lap, the three men staring as he slowly lifted the top off and revealed a pair of women’s panties.

“Those are--!”

Prompto took the box from him and looked within. He could see something beneath the underwear. He pushed it aside and saw a CD jewel case underneath. He grabbed it, jumping up from the couch and removing the disc to place it in the media player. Turning on the television, he pressed play and watched in horror as the naked image of Iris’ naked body filled the screen. Ardyn’s smiling face appeared in the frame as he leaned over and poked his head in front of the camera’s eye. He waved before walking over to Iris, standing behind her chair.

 _Hello, Gladio. Prompto._ Ardyn smiled. _And, I’m sure, by now, little Noct. Hello to you all. As you can see, I have made your little flower my own._

Gladio cried out when Ardyn leaned over to touch Iris. He ran his hand along her chest before forcing her face forward, which she had previously been hiding from the camera. Prompto’s mouth fell open in shock. The image of Iris’ battered and bloody face was unbelievable and had to be some kind of sick illusion.

 _Unfortunately, I had to hurt her a bit. She has since been a good girl, and I have yet to hurt her more._ He paused. _At least, physically. However, if you do not do as I say, I am unsure if I can keep that promise._ Ardyn stood back up straight, placing his hands on Iris’ shoulders _. Meet me in the Myrlwood in four days, at midnight. The two lovebirds will know the exact place. If all three of you do not show up, I will strip her of more than her clothing._

 _Gladio…_ Iris suddenly spoke. She was very weak. _Prompto…don’t do it…he’ll kill you._ _Just leave me._ Her voice broke as she began to cry. _I’m fine. I love you._

 _‘I’m fine,’_ Ardyn mocked and laughed. _Well, that’s a lie if I ever heard one._ He stopped laughing and looked straight at the camera. _Myrlwood, four days. Midnight. Otherwise, she dies. Rather painfully at that. Goodbye._

Ardyn reached inside his pants pocket and pulled out a small remote, turning off the camcorder. As the screen went black, Gladio let out a wail that contained a maelstrom of emotions: pain, sorrow, fear, rage. He shot up from the couch and began charging the room, eventually starting to throw whatever he could reach. Noctis and Prompto didn’t dare intervene and they let Gladio deal with his emotions the only way he currently knew how. It took almost fifteen minutes for Gladio to calm down and, after, he sat down and looked at Noctis, empty.

“What do you need me to do?” His voice was dull, exhaustion finally setting in. “I’ll do anything.”

“Bring your best weapons,” said Noctis. “And prepare to get your sister back.”

***

Prompto had walked Gladio back to his room to get some rest. When he returned to the living room, he found Noctis still on the couch, looking at the blank television screen.

“I don’t like that look,” said Prompto. “Not at all.”

“What look?”

“The ‘We’re fucked’ look that you clearly have on your face.”

All Noctis could do was shake his head and shrug. Prompto sat down next to him, leaning into Noctis’ body as an arm was placed around his shoulders.

“Is Gladio asleep?”

“Yes.” Prompto paused, then spoke quietly. “Are we going to get Iris back?”

Noctis thought for a long time.

“I don’t know.”

***

Prompto and Noctis spent some time alone with each other on the couch. There was nothing sexual about the experience, but Prompto didn’t mind. He simply enjoyed listening to nothing but the sound of Noctis breathing for a while. He was almost lulled to sleep until he felt Noctis move against him, then from underneath him completely.

“I have to go,” he said, kissing Prompto’s forehead. “There’re some things I need to do.”

“Yeah. I guess I should try to hit the drawing board. I need to come up with something. I owe it to Gladio.”

They kissed their goodbyes and Noctis left. Prompto chuckled when he realized that he forgot to bring up the topic of a cellphone. He sighed and sat back against the couch, trying to feel anything but hopeless. It was a struggle, but he eventually got to a point where he believed he could think with clarity once more and attempt to formulate a plan. As he got up to go to his bedroom and grab one of Kimya’s potions, he could hear his phone ring as it still sat on his nightstand.

Dino sat on the other line, biting his lip. He knew that he left Prompto unconvinced that any of his suggestions would actually work, so far. He couldn’t understand how Prompto could reject anything that was steeped in superstition, considering that they were up against a literal, preternatural daemon. The phone rang several times and Dino was about to hang up right as Prompto picked up. 

“Hello?”

“’Ey, bro. What’re you doing?”

“Dino, I don’t have time to talk to you right now. I’m sorry.”

Dino smirked. He knew that was coming.

“What’s up? You sound troubled. Have you figured out what you’re going to do about Ardyn yet?” A pause. “What about my suggestions, have you thought about what charms you wanted and stuff?”

He knew that Prompto was rolling his eyes at the question. But, Dino wouldn’t be Dino if he didn’t have a back-up plan. He had a feeling he was going to have to use it.

“I told you, man. That shit doesn’t work. Charms, silver bullets…that’s all bullshit. Don’t you think if they worked, then there would be no strigoi left? If it’s such common knowledge and they really were effective, every tortured villager and hunter would have killed them all by now.”

“Maybe they just weren’t using them right.”

“No, Dino. I’m sorry, but no. End of story. I’m not wasting my time or yours.”

“Come on, man--”

“No!”

Dino groaned.

“You are absolutely no fun. Don’t come crawling to me begging for some shit right before you’re supposed to meet the asshole.” Another pause. “Is there a meeting yet?”

“Yeah. Four days from now.” Prompto stopped himself as he realized what he was saying. “Don’t get any ideas. You’re not coming.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll help from afar. If only you’d let me.”

“Well, I’m not. You’ve done your part. And, I thank you. But this is as far as you go.”

“What exactly was ‘my part’?”

Prompto smiled.

“You introduced me to Noctis. I truly thank you for that.”

“Ah, shucks. I’m just a regular matchmaker, aren’t I? I’m glad I could help.” Dino cleared his throat. “Before I go…since we’re speaking of bullets…I got a family member with a birthday coming up. My uncle. Real gun fanatic. Beyond collector’s status; he’s one of those assholes that has a weapons cache underneath his house.”

“Yeah?”

“Well, I was over his place the other day and I saw him looking at some magazine, talking about some stupid gun he wanted. No offense. I noticed it looks a lot like yours, just in another color. I wanted to ask you what kind of gun you have last night, but I forgot. I was wondering if I could scoop one up like it.”

“It’s called the Peacemaker. It’s an Old Earth six-shooter from like, the 1800 timeline. A rare antique; somehow still works like a charm though.” It was a gift from Gladio from a while back and was the only gun that he used now. “Good luck finding another one like it. It’ll take you years, if you find one at all.”

“Fuck that. I like my uncle, but not that much.”

They both laughed.

“I gotta go, Dino.”

“Yeah, man. Thanks. Hit me up whenever you can, okay? And, be safe.”

“I will. And…I meant what I said. Thank you for your help. Regardless of what’s happening right now, I don’t ever regret meeting Noctis. I wouldn’t have if it weren’t for you.”

“Man, I didn’t do anything. But, if you really want to thank me, then just set me up with Iris ASAP. Like, yesterday. I’m dying over here.”

The line went quiet.

“…Hello?”

“Okay.” Prompto’s voice sounded strange. “Later.”

He hung up before Dino could respond. Thinking it was odd but ultimately disregarding it, Dino went into his contacts and made another call.

“Cuz,” he said, smiling, then paused. He frowned. “Who the hell d’you think it is? No, man. It’s Dino. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, never mind. Look, I have a job for you.”

***

The day before the meeting with Ardyn, Prompto, Noctis, and Gladio were sitting around the apartment, preparing to leave that afternoon. They had decided to get on the road early in order to accommodate the long travel time to the Myrlwood and planned to camp and train on the way. They were all quiet as they packed, no closer to having a plan than they were three days ago.  

“We’re going to die tomorrow night, aren’t we?” Gladio asked out of nowhere, searching through a bag. “I’m not going to be able to save Iris.”

The other two looked at Gladio, aghast, but they both knew that outcome that Gladio spoke of was highly likely.

“Don’t look at me like that.” He didn’t even have to look up. “Don’t say anything to me, either, if it’s just going to be a lie or an uncertainty or some false hope. I’m prepared to die for her.” 

Prompto and Noctis respected his wishes. About thirty minutes later they finished packing and gathering their weapons. Prompto handed Noctis some items: large, dark sunglasses and a black jacket that was excessive and way too warm for the current season. Noctis sighed as he put on the glasses and pulled up the faux fur lined hood over his head.

“Real inconspicuous.”

They left the apartment and descended to the ground floor. They walked through the the lobby, Gladio and Prompto flashing their hunter’s badges as they received alarmed glances from the concierge. Noctis followed quickly behind them. Prompto had called the valet before they had left the apartment and his car waited for them at the front curb. As they put their gear in the trunk, Noctis couldn’t help but feel strange from being in the sun and traveling without warping. He couldn’t remember the last time he rode in a car, if ever.

“I honestly think this is my first time riding in a car,” he said, climbing into the backseat.

“Let’s hope it’s not your only time,” Gladio responded, sitting in the passenger’s seat. He looked at Prompto, who was settling behind the wheel. “You good?”

“Yeah.” He looked at Noctis. “Are you okay? No pain from the sun?”

“No. Come on.”

Prompto nodded and began to drive off. He looked in his rearview mirror and watched the apartment complex fade into the distance.

***

Dino chewed on a mediocre sandwich he had bought from gas station before he made his way to Prompto’s apartment that morning. He had been scoping out the apartment building ever since he had received the bullets from his cousin the day before. Dino had no idea what he was doing. For all he knew, Prompto was long gone, headed to wherever his destination was. But, he kept driving by Prompto’s apartment, hoping to see any glimpse of him, before he decided to just park nearby and wait.

He looked at the bullets. His gunsmith cousin had the time and the materials to make only three and Dino had to throw the bastard an extra 5,000 gil on top of what he had paid, but he came through and now they were sitting in a small box in the front seat of his car. Sighing, he looked back up at the complex’s entrance and drank from a bottle of soda. He wondered if this was how detectives on a stakeout felt. He had been parked near the apartment since before the sun was up and he was starting to get tired. He felt foolish; there was probably a one in a million chance that he would ever catch Prompto. He was debating whether or not to return to his apartment when he saw a valet driver pull up in a familiar car in front of the complex.

“Holy shit.”

He sat up in his seat, setting his sandwich and soda aside. He watched Prompto and Gladio emerge from the complex, weapons in tow, and load their items into the car’s trunk with Noctis following close behind. Noctis was wearing sunglasses and a ridiculous coat that made Dino think of an emo Eskimo. They piled into the car and drove off. Dino fumbled around for his keys before realizing that they were still in the ignition. Before he could turn the car on, he reached inside of his shirt. He could feel his heart slam against his chest as he grabbed the necklace he was wearing. He had replaced his usual citrine and green aventurine charms for an elaborate charm that his jeweler cousin had made for him. She had been working on it ever since he contacted her after researching stones with Prompto. Chalcedony formed in the letter D was inlaid on black obsidian and surrounded by carnelian and amethyst. It was ugly, but he hoped that the carnelian would prevent his thoughts from being read by anyone and help minimize his presence. He turned his keys and smiled, putting the car into drive.

“Let’s rock.”

***

A few things went wrong during the trip to the Myrlwood. Passing through the Insomnia border was a nightmare, Prompto got lost even with GPS, they got a flat tire and Gladio jammed his thumb while changing it, and Noctis got car sick.

“Definitely my first time in a car,” he said feebly as he burrowed himself in his coat, fighting the urge to throw up again.

They were steadily falling behind schedule and Prompto wondered if the some of the obstacles that they were encountering were of Ardyn’s doing. It was inevitable that he was tracking them somehow. Eventually, they made it to their first campsite about three hours later than they intended. After setting up camp and eating, they were all too drained to do anything else. Noctis was the first one to retire to the tent and Gladio and Prompto sat around the fire, thinking about everything, yet nothing, at the same time. Gladio looked over at Prompto, who was staring vacantly at the flames.

“What’re you thinking about?”

“I can’t really describe it. I guess I don’t really know. My mind is just racing with so much stuff and I can’t focus on any of it.”

“Yeah,” said Gladio, nodding. “Same.”

They fell silent again for a moment before Prompto spoke.

“Are you scared, Gladio?”

“Of course I am.”

“I’m really scared.” Prompto’s voice was soft, childlike. “I’ve never been more afraid in my life.”

“Are you afraid of dying? Or of Ardyn?”

“I’m afraid that we’ll never see Iris alive again.”

The two men let that notion sink in and it caused them to descend to a level of despair that they had never experienced before. They sat around for a little longer before Gladio got up. He walked over to his Hyperion greatsword, grabbing it, then returned to his seat. 

“You should get some sleep. I’ll stand guard.”

“No. Gladio, let me.”

“I don’t want to sleep,” he said roughly, looking at Prompto. He rubbed his lips together then looked back at the fire. His next words were painful. “When I shut my eyes, all I see is her face.”

Prompto nodded. He got up and walked over to Gladio’s chair, leaning over to give the top of his head a kiss.

“Thank you.”

He made his way over to the tent, kicking his boots off on the mat at its entrance. Entering quietly, he saw Noctis huddled in the corner of the tent with his back turned. Assuming he was sleeping, Prompto said nothing as he felt around in the dark, grabbing a sleeping bag and placing it down next to Noctis.

“I’m not asleep.”

Noctis rolled over and sat up to grab a small electric lantern by the head of his pillow. He turned it on and Prompto kneeled by him, unzipping Noctis’ sleeping bag so that he could enter.

“I don’t think we’ll fit,” said Noctis.

“I’ll make us fit.”

Prompto slid into the sleeping bag which was tight, but he was able to zip them both up inside. Their arms immediately sought each other out, and they sighed as they finally embraced.

“See?” Prompto asked, bringing a hand up to angle Noctis’ face towards his. “I told you.”

They kissed deeply. Prompto felt his stress be replaced with comfort and desire. He was grateful for that, even if it was temporary.

“I love you, Noctis. I need you.” His hand trailed down Noctis’ torso and landed at the button of his pants. “I need you.”

“I need you, too. I love you.”

They kissed again, trying to combat the unreality of the situation with the reality of their love.

***

At a certain point during the trip, Dino had figured out that the group was headed to the Myrlwood, based on their route of travel. He determined that the location made sense and that he should have figured the woods would be their destination. He thought -- considering how maliciously poetic Ardyn could be, as described in story that Noctis had told him -- it seemed only fitting that the location of Prompto and Noctis’ first real encounter would also be the site of their last.

There were six times when Dino was almost positive that he had been caught. He would get sloppy sometimes as he thought about how hungry or tired he was, or about how he needed to piss, or when he thought about the countless other things that he would rather be doing instead of trailing his friends across Lucis in the heat. Sometimes, he thought about Iris. Most of the time, really. He remembered talking to her when he stopped by Prompto’s the other day, before she headed out to her little café date with her friend. The conversation was nothing special, but he could have sworn that she was flirting with him as she flashed a cute, coy smile. Even if the conversation didn’t mean much to her, it meant the world to him. He wondered what he would say to her when Prompto finally hooked them up, how she would react. He couldn’t wait until that day came.

After the sixth and final time he thought his cover was blown, he decided that he would leave the group when they camped out next and would barrel ahead of them to the Myrlwood. The group ended up driving south to the Burbost Emporium to make their next camp and Dino proceeded to travel north. He drove fast and somewhat recklessly down the road as he tried to put as much space between them as possible. His objective was to hurry up and reach the woods, then wait for as long as he had to wait until the three men arrived. He was fueled solely by adrenaline and did not stop along the way, reaching the outskirts of the woods and the Vesperpool at about eight later that night. The moon was full and bright, which was something that Dino appreciated. He didn’t know if arriving at eight was considered making good time or not, seeing that he did not know when exactly they were to meet Ardyn, but he hoped so as he parked his car roughly three miles away in a secluded spot and intended to travel by foot.

Dino decided to leave his messenger bag in his car. There was no real need for it and it could potentially slow him down. He grabbed the box of bullets from the seat, then reached inside of his bag to grab his cellphone and a small camera. He knew it wasn’t as good as the compact camera Prompto would carry sometimes when he didn’t want to lug his larger one, but it was better than his phone and would have to do. He was determined to get a shot of Ardyn or die trying. Before he closed the bag, he reached inside again and and pulled out a tiny stone. It was a piece of iris agate, something he used as a good luck charm and a reminder of what he wanted the most. He smiled, bouncing it in his palm before he put it in the the tiny front pocket of his jeans.

The fatigue hit when he reached the entrance to the Myrlwood. He hid himself, yet he was in a good enough position to hear and see when Prompto and the others would show up. When he finally sat down, he felt the waves of exhaustion crash down on him and fought to stay awake. He was so tired that he felt weak and, desperate, he took out his cellphone. Turning the brightness down as low as he could, he started to open up one of his mobile games. As the game was loading, he backed out of it and opened his alarm. He set it for some arbitrary time –- 1:00 a.m. –- and muted all of his notifications except for the alarm. He didn’t really think he would need it, but he wanted to make sure. Soon, though, his eyelids grew heavy and he eventually succumbed. Shutting his eyes, his phone slipped from his hands.

***

Dino’s eyes snapped open as he heard a succession of deep and violent sneezes. They were of a man, and he sneezed five times before he finally quit.

“Bless you! Geez.”

Dino’s heart beat quicker as he heard Prompto’s voice. He then heard a grumble.

“I think I’m allergic to something here.” It was Gladio. “So much for noise discipline.”

Dino sat up quickly and began to gather his things, clutching the box of bullets tightly.

“Guys, let’s stop.” This time, Noctis spoke. Dino peeked from his hiding spot and saw that the three had stopped at the entrance of the Myrlwood. “Let’s take inventory really quick.”

They stopped, doing what Noctis requested. Dino’s eyes widened as a holster with several stakes appeared around Noctis’ waist and a sword on his back. They widened even further when a hand was waved and an eerie glow emanated from Prompto’s and Gladio’s weapons. The scene was epic and the three men were lined up for the most beautiful shot he had seen in a while, even with Prompto’s pictures in consideration. Dino couldn’t help but sneak a picture or two of his own, chewing on his lip until his camera was back safely in his pocket.

“All right,” said Noctis. He waved a hand again and all of their weapons disappeared. They turned on the small flashlights that were clipped to their shirts. “Let’s go. Be ready for anything.”

“I’m ready,” Dino whispered, emerging from his spot and following them into the woods.

***

The group didn’t get far before Noctis stopped them again.

“Do you still have that stuff?” He asked Prompto. Prompto nodded and reached around to grab his bag.

“What stuff?” Gladio crossed his arms. “This is the second time you’ve referenced some ‘stuff’ and I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about.”

Prompto pulled out Kimya’s potions.

“It’s best if you drink this in three gulps or less. Just trust me.” He opened a bottle and sucked it down in two, gagging. He handed a bottle to Noctis. “Do you need one of these? Will it work, for you?”

“I don’t know,” he said, taking the potion. “I mean, it can’t hurt.” He rethought his statement. “Well. You know what I mean.”

“You guys are really making me have faith in my decision to drink whatever this shit is,” said Gladio. He snatched a bottle from Prompto and drank half of its contents before he almost dropped it.

“This is a potion from Kimya Auburnbrie,” said Prompto. Gladio keeled over, holding his stomach. “You know her.”

“Yeah,” he squeaked. He knew her and her notoriously disgusting, yet effective, concoctions but had never experienced one first hand.

“It’s supposed to help shield our thoughts from Ardyn,” said Noctis. “But it’s only solving half the equation, really. He can still hear us speak. Plus, your thoughts are shielded from me as well. It works on any strigoi. I still think it’s a worthwhile sacrifice if it means that he won’t be able to hear what you are thinking. The spell lasts for thirty minutes before you will need more.”

“Well, can you still establish a telepathic link?” Prompto asked. “I think there’s still value if we can link up, even if we can’t communicate back and forth. You can speak to me and provide guidance.”

“I…can try.”

Gladio stood up and sucked down the rest of his potion, coughing. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand before he spoke.

“You mind if we have a three-way?”

Prompto looked at Gladio, smirking, and Noctis stammered.

“W-wait, huh?”

“A three-way telepathic link,” said Gladio. “You’re a pervert.”

“Would you be able to connect with the both of us?”

“I don’t…” Noctis’ face was still warm from the misunderstanding. “I don’t know. All I can do is try.”

He did try for several minutes, without success.

“Just forget it." Gladio waved him off. “We’re wasting time we don’t have. We should have thought of this beforehand. Thanks for the attempt though.” Noctis nodded. “There’s nothing much more we need to discuss anyway. We fight until we get Iris back or until we die.”

They began their journey deeper into the woods with Noctis leading the way. Gladio was behind him, with Prompto bringing up the rear. The three were spaced a good length apart and scanning from all sides in the event that Ardyn decided to ambush them. They were about thirty feet away from the clearing in the woods when Prompto felt someone behind him. He reached for the large hunting knife that was strapped to his side and swung around with a wide swooping motion. He heard someone yelp, then stumble back and down on the grass. He squinted.

“…Dino?”

Dino grunted and hauled himself up, dusting himself off.

“In the flesh.”

He yelped again when Prompto quickly closed the gap between them and grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

“What the hell are you doing here?” He shook him. “ _What are you doing here?_ ”

Dino’s hands clutched Prompto’s, trying to pull them off of him.

“Dude, what?” He struggled some more as Prompto’s hands tightened. Prompto was trying to force Dino to walk backwards. “Man, step off! I’m just trying to help your sorry ass!”

“I told you I didn’t want your help!” He let go and shoved Dino hard, who almost fell down again. “Didn’t I tell you? How did you even find me?”

“Oh my fuck, in the name of Etro, you are such an asshole!” Dino retorted. “So ungrateful!” He reached inside a pocket and retrieved the box containing the bullets, pulling them out. He held them inside the palm of his hand and out for Prompto to see. “I follow you across Lucis to bring you these fucking bullets, and you’re acting like this? Why? Just take them.”

“I don’t want your goddamn bullets!” Prompto hissed as he smacked the hand away. The bullets went flying in the darkness. He shoved Dino again, pushing him hard enough to knock him down a second time. “I don’t want them! Go away, now!”

Dino looked behind Prompto. He could see Noctis and Gladio running up.

“Prompto!” Noctis yelled. Their weapons suddenly appeared. “It’s time!”

The two turned around and ran back from where they came. Prompto raised his gun, then looked down at Dino.

“Go home. Don’t return. I don't want your blood on my hands, too.”

Prompto ran to join the others. Ardyn had arrived.

***

When Prompto entered the clearing, it was instant mayhem. There was no time for thinking or planning as Noctis, Gladio, and Ardyn engaged in battle. Gladio was already struggling to land blows with the Hyperion and resorted to swinging wildly around him, unable to anticipate Ardyn’s movements. There were flashes of purple and white light as he effortlessly warped circles around Gladio. Prompto could see that Ardyn was also fending off Noctis’ sword blows. Noctis was flailing as much as Gladio and soon resorted to alternating between sword fighting and hand to hand combat in an attempt to catch Ardyn off guard, his sword disappearing and reappearing.

Prompto ran into the clearing, trying to get in as close as he could before he could fire a shot. He managed to shoot twice before he noticed his weapon lost its enchanted glow.

“Whoops,” said Ardyn, still evading strikes. “I guess _that_ spell didn’t last long.”

Prompto suddenly felt a sharp pain in his shooting hand and he cried out. The gun flew away from him and into the night.

“Not much use for it then.”

Prompto watched as the glow from Gladio’s sword faded as well. It changed nothing for Gladio whose strikes were unwavering, yet still ineffective. Prompto grabbed his hunting knife and ran closer. Soon, all three surrounded Ardyn, trying to land even just one strike. 

“I’m bored,” whined Ardyn. “Let us crank it up a notch, please.”

He abruptly kicked Prompto in the stomach, who was in front of him, while grabbing the heads of Noctis and Gladio and knocking them together. All three fell to the ground. It was all quite comical and Ardyn laughed heartily. The men moaned and climbed over each other, trying to get back up on their feet. Ardyn stepped back and away from them. 

“Just to let you know, I didn’t fuck your baby sister,” he said, choosing Gladio as the first recipient of his provocations. “Although, I wanted to. I can imagine she has a tight little pussy.” Gladio growled as he used the Hyperion to steady himself. “Anticipation is a great thing, however. And I am thoroughly anticipating fucking your sister bloody on top of your dead body. Or, _bodies_ , I should say.”

Gladio screamed. He stood up, grabbing Prompto and pulling him up with him. They began running towards Ardyn and Noctis got up, his sword materializing once again in his hands. Gladio lifted Hyperion over his head as Prompto readied his knife and Ardyn sighed. 

“Stop.”

Prompto, Noctis, and Gladio froze in place. Ardyn began to elevate and he floated lazily onto a tall rock formation. The air grew thick and heavy as a black orb appeared and began to grow in size. As the orb grew substantial in size, so did its weight and density. It eventually grew to the size of almost half the clearing. When Ardyn was pleased with it, he spoke again.

“Go.”

The other men were released from the Stop spell and could move again, but not for long. The orb of energy created from Ardyn’s Gravity spell descended upon the three and they screamed as its painful weight immobilized them. The orb continued to grow, as did their screams, and the increased weight threatened to crush their bodies completely.

“Stop,” Ardyn said again. The men froze. He wasn’t about to let something as simple as a Gravity spell kill them. The black orb disappeared and was replaced with one that was white in color. Electricity filled the air as Ardyn charged his Burst spell.

“Go,” he whispered.

They were released and, this time, Ardyn let them crawl freely about for a moment before Burst hit them, electrocuting all three. They screamed and Prompto didn’t know how much more any of them could take. He tried to move and look up to search for Noctis and Gladio, but couldn’t. He was fading fast. Ardyn floated down from his rock.

“Don’t tell me this is it? It looks like you all need some motivation.” He clapped twice, rapidly. “Come, my dear. Show yourself.”

A woman stumbled out of the woods. Iris walked slowly and into the open. She was clothed, but barely.

“Hold for one moment, please.”

She stopped. Ardyn waited until Gladio was coherent and on his feet to bring Iris closer and out of the shadows. When Gladio saw Iris, he screamed wildly for her, but none of them moved. They were unsure of what Ardyn would do to her if they attacked at that moment. Prompto wasn't even sure if any of them had the strength to attack.

“Yes, yes, here she is.” He pushed her closer to the group. They still made no sudden movements. Ardyn let her walk a few steps closer before he waved a hand, Iris crumpling to the ground. Gladio shrieked. “And…there she was.” Her unconscious body lifted from the ground as she entered stasis, floating in the air.

***

Dino was still on the ground. He was crawling on his hands and knees. He had his phone’s flashlight on and was digging through leaves and twigs, trying to find the bullets that Prompto knocked out of his hand.

“Fucking asshole.”

He could hear commotion from the clearing. It sounded nasty and like it was not going in their favor. In Dino’s mind, Prompto needed the bullets now more than ever. He made a sound of triumph as he finally found them a few yards from where they were, rather rudely, knocked away. He brushed them off on his shirt and stuck them in his in one of his back pockets, not bothering to put them back in their box.

He got up and ran towards the clearing. Upon his arrival, he noticed that Prompto didn’t have his gun, which concerned him. Instead, he was using his knife, and, along with Noctis and Gladio, Prompto struggled to land any blows. He watched Ardyn knock all three of them down, then heard him speak nastily about Iris which enraged him until he realized that meant Ardyn had her. He panicked as he now understood why Prompto had acted so weird when he brought up Iris on the phone. When he saw a strange orb appear and Ardyn looking like he was gearing up for something, Dino resorted to the natural instinct of backing away. He retreated until he was at a somewhat safe distance. He couldn’t see well, but he could hear, and he was subjected to the horrible screams of the trio as they were attacked. Dino closed his eyes. He needed to do something quick. He headed back to the clearing. 

He ducked and moved quickly through the trees, eventually reaching the clearing’s edge. He scanned the area for anything that could help; his unfocused eyes darting across the terrain mostly hidden by shadow. Somehow, he caught sight of something in grass. The Peacemaker was within his reach, about fifteen feet away. He looked in the clearing. Ardyn had not yet sensed his presence. Dino figured he could grab the gun quickly and undetected. He hesitated for a moment, almost laughing. For Dino to just stumble upon Prompto’s gun as it sat in low, unshaded grass seemed like it was too good to be true. It probably was. He bit his lip and, despite the feeling of impending doom, Dino held his breath as he headed towards the gun. He darted and lunged, his breath escaping him in the form of a small grunt as he slid on a patch of rocks and leaves and felt a sharp branch jab hip.

“Fuck!” Taking a moment to allow the pain to fade, he sat up on his haunches and reached out towards the gun. His hands were shaking and he clenched a fist. It had been years since he held any type of weapon. He struggled to pick up the gun, cradling it in his hands, and felt a hot, paralyzing jolt of fear as he held it and remembered nothing about the fundamentals of shooting. “Fuck me.”

He heard a scream then, and he brought his head up just in time to see Gladio brought down to his knees in agony again. Dino couldn’t see Prompto or Noctis, but he could see Iris. His heart stopped. As he looked at Gladio again, then at Iris’ comatose body hovering in the air, it didn’t matter if he forgot how to handle a gun. He was watching everything fall apart around him and his friends. The least he could do was try his best to help even if it was ultimately meaningless.

Dino felt wetness on his cheeks. He brought a hand up from the gun and touched his face, confused. He realized that was crying, and it was most likely because he knew, deep down, that death was really the only option for all of them. His was beginning to breathe uncomfortably and he smelled the creation of ozone in the air as the atmosphere changed completely. Ardyn was laughing and toying with them as he showed only a modicum of his abilities and strength. Dino could tell that his power was growing and that they had yet to see the worst. Still, he dropped his hand and began to run his fingers over the gun, feeling it. He continued to stare into the clearing while his fingers ran frantically over the cylinder, trying to find out how to open it. He found the latch on the left-hand side and he pushed it, the cylinder swinging to the side and revealing six bullets that were plated in copper. He looked down and stared at the bullets, feeling foolish as he didn’t know how to release the bullets from their chambers. He moaned, head lolling back to look at the stars, and rocked on his heels, whispering to himself.

“Stop wasting time.”

He pointed the muzzle up and away from him and slipped two fingers into the cylinder frame, gripping the gun tightly. Not knowing what else to do, he shook the gun hard until the bullets fell onto the ground. He heard a cacophony of screams. Ardyn was attacking all three of the men once more. The screams were the loudest they’d been yet, the sounds meshing together and creating an unbearable howl so horrible that it almost incited a sense of insanity within Dino. He began to cry again as he tried to understand how the impossible situation became his reality.

Dino’s mind unexpectedly shifted over to his grandmother, an old, crusty broad straight off the boat from the part of Altissia where no tourist had ever dared to travel. She had given him a certain piece of advice constantly while he was growing up, especially when he came to her bitching about something his parents wanted him to do, which was all the time. He would ask his Nonna why, why were they telling him to do such dumb shit? He couldn’t understand. She would smile her sweet smile, give him a hug, and tell him that there were things that were understood and things that were not; you still had to learn how to deal with them either way. He supposed that was still true even when the thing not understood was some evil freak that was over two millennia old, pissed off and aching to rip off some heads. Everything was beyond his level of comprehension and probably always would be. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he would be agreeing to this when he begged Prompto to allow him to join the fight against Ardyn, but he’d be damned if he didn’t see it through to the very end.

He sat up on his knees and reached around, palming the right back pocket of his jeans. He had placed the silver jacketed bullets inside the pocket earlier and and was afraid that they were no longer there, but they were. He removed the three, hotly debated bullets from his pocket and began trying to stuff them into the gun chambers. He paused for a moment after he loaded the gun. He set it down and, closing his eyes, reached for his necklace. He whispered the same prayer that his cousin’s White Mage friend had used when she blessed the charm. Opening his eyes, he brought the charm to his lips to kiss it before stuffing it back in his shirt and wiped the sweat from his palms. He remembered Prompto once again talking shit about the stones and gems -- the same stones and gems that were possibly the only thing keeping Dino alive -- on the phone, the other day. It was a day that seemed like it was so far away, like it was a part of another universe that Dino no longer belonged in. He grabbed the gun and tried to situate himself in a position where he was only on one knee, using the other leg for support and stability.

Ardyn was standing still in the middle of the clearing, pleased with what he had done. Dino had the perfect opportunity if he acted quickly. Inhaling sharply and holding his breath for a second time, he raised the gun and aimed. He froze completely and jerked the gun down. He felt tears return.

“I can’t do this.”

_A bullet shot through the air and into the distance, missing its target completely. The tin can had remained on the fence post and Dino heard a crow caw in the distance, the cries sounding like mockery._

_“For real?” A cute teenage girl with a heavy twang was lounging back on a lawn chair, watching him fail. She shook her head and sat up straighter. “Come on, it’s only a seven-meter target.” She laughed and shook her head again, placing her hands on her knees. “You suck.”_

_Dino’s head shot to the side to glare at the girl and he dropped his arms._

_“I can’t do this, Myrna,” he said. “I’m from the city. I don’t spend all day shooting at damn cans and hay stacks like you.”_

_Every summer Dino’s parents would send him to visit his cousin Myrna in the Three Valleys. He got along with her well enough -- they were the same age and had enough similar interests to maintain consistent conversation -- but she was country as hell and proud of it. She would always try to get him to try a hobby of hers before he returned home. Previous years involved hog wrangling, wild chocobo taming, carrot farming; this year consisted of pistol shooting. Dino did suck and he hated it and just wanted to go back to the house. He voiced his desires and Myrna got up from her chair and walked over to him._

_“Nuh-uh. You’re gonna get this even if we have to stay out here all day.”_

_She stood behind him and brought her body close. Reaching around him, she gently pushed his face back towards the target and grabbed his arms to lift his weapon again. She began moving them into proper position, clicking her tongue as she struggled with his stiff limbs._

_“Relax a little.” Dino complied. “That’s better. Spread your legs a little and flex your knees, but don’t bend them. No, no…too much. Yeah, like that. Toes parallel.” She nudged his back forward. “Lean forward a bit, from the hips.”_

_“Myrna--”_

_“Shush. Focus on the can, align your sights. Be one with the gun, the bullet. Remember that you’re in control. Breathe.”_

_Dino sighed. He didn’t want to argue; she was relentless._

_“Okay, now…just squeeze the trigger. Don’t jerk it.”_

_He fired a shot that was just as bad as the one before._

_“I said don’t jerk it, jerk!” Myrna scolded. “Try again.”_

_Dino took a few deep breaths and concentrated. He imagined his bullet hitting the target and carefully squeezed the trigger. A shot rang out. The teenagers watched the can fly off of the post and they cheered._

_“See? I told you you could do it.”_

_“Yeah,” he said, lowering the gun. He smiled a bit. “You did. But, I don’t think I’ll ever need a gun, so, whatever.”_

_“Never say never,” said Myrna, walking back over to her chair. “You never know when you’ll need to save yourself.”_

_He laughed._

_“Well, if I do, I think I’m pretty much screwed.”_

_“You never know when you’ll need to save yourself, Dino,” Myrna repeated. “Or someone else. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be a hero someday.”_

Dino remembered Myrna’s words as Prompto and Gladio slowly rose in the air, hanging there in a state of suspension like Iris. He felt a sense of resolve settle in and raised the revolver up once more. He wanted to see if she was right.

***

Ardyn watched the three men writhe on the ground, howling with maddening pain.

“The best has yet to come,” he said. He grinned at Gladio and Prompto and suspended them in the air. They were barely conscious. “I’m going to kill you, and I’m going to enjoy it. Lots.” He looked at Noctis, who was struggling to get up. “But, not you. You get to watch.”

Noctis flew from his position, far away, and into a large rock formation. He screamed as he felt a few of his ribs snap, then slid limply to the ground. He could do nothing but watch Ardyn pick up the Hyperion as he walked closer to the men.

***

Dino was poised to pull the trigger when he saw Noctis suddenly shoot from his position and into some rocks about thirty feet away.

“Oh, fuck…”

He faltered for a moment but managed to regain most of his composure. He watched Ardyn pick up Gladio’s sword and quickly lined up his sights again. Before he could take a shot, he felt his cellphone buzz in his front pocket and heard the alarm that he set earlier go off: a loud, blaring air raid siren. Ardyn turned in his direction and Dino screamed.

“Fuck! No!”

***

Ardyn was slightly startled as he heard the unexpected sound of a siren. He turned in the direction of the noise, frowning and scanning the tree line.

“Fuck! No!”

His darted his eyes to the left and finally saw a man hidden amongst the trees. He had no idea how the man had managed to stay concealed for so long. It was all for naught as he gave up his own location, but Ardyn was still pissed that he had managed to fly under his radar to begin with. He grew even more pissed at the idea of dealing with an unexpected variable, especially when the night was advancing so smoothly and quickly. He threw down the Hyperion. As the weapon fell to the ground, he heard a crack. Something whizzed by his ear.

He found it humorous that he was being shot at and began chuckling. He thought for a moment, trying to figure out who the person could be, but didn’t have to think long as there was only one logical answer.

“Dino,” Ardyn called. “Oh, Dino. You should have gone to target practice.”  

He was getting ready to charge when another shot rang out. Ardyn lunged forward, then cried out and fell to his left knee. He looked at his right one. Blood was steadily flowing out of a bullet wound. He felt his body chemistry change almost instantly and knew that the bullet was at least partly made from silver. Swallowing hard, Ardyn opened his mouth to taunt, even still.

“Try harder ne--” 

Another shot. This time the bullet pierced his left eye socket. Ardyn shouted and flew forward on his hands. He began pressing and clawing the socket, trying to stop the bleeding and pull the bullet out at the same time. 

“Have fun healing, motherfucker!” Dino yelled from the trees.

Ardyn tried to sit up but grunted as something heavy landed on his back. He felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. Noctis was straddling him and had pierced him with a wooden stake. Noctis wrapped his legs around Ardyn’s torso, grabbing him by the collar, and with one broad, swinging stroke, he brought the stake down and into Ardyn’s injured eye. Ardyn roared and Noctis pulled him into a chokehold, rolling onto his back and bringing Ardyn with him. He gagged and looked up at the starless night sky with his one good eye as Noctis choked him. He was nearing a state of unconsciousness when Noctis suddenly pulled away and left him, gasping and spread-eagled on the ground. Noctis sat up and stood over his body.

“Nephew,” Ardyn gasped. He tried to lift a hand.

Noctis kicked his hand down and spat on him. He began administering crushing blows to Ardyn’s face with his boot, stomping it until it was almost beyond recognition. His last blow was a stomp to the stake that was in Ardyn’s eye. Ardyn bellowed as he felt the stake pierce through the back of his skull and embed itself deep into the ground underneath. 

Noctis stood over him, panting, watching. He was trying to figure out what to say to him. There were so many things that he thought of saying to Ardyn over the years, but he felt a basic summary would suffice.

“You destroyed my life.”

“I know.”

It was painful to watch and hear Ardyn speak. His face was in shambles.

“You can’t even say that you’re sorry.”

“Why would I? I am not.”

“You took everything away from me.”

“Well, they say…an eye for an eye. No pun intended.”

Ardyn began laughing and coughing. At the sight of Noctis’ confusion, he laughed even harder, his body convulsing with coughs simultaneously.

“What does that even mean? I have no idea what you mean!” Noctis was screaming. “What did I ever do to you?”

“Your existence…is my pain. But it is also my salvation.”

Noctis scoffed.

“I do not regret anything that I have done to you,” Ardyn continued. His breaths and words were becoming more labored. “Love drove my actions as much as hate.”

“Your idea of love is pretty fucked.”

Ardyn couldn't argue. Noctis was right.

“I know this is my last night on Eos. Take my blood.” A small vial appeared in the air. Noctis grabbed it. “I suppose you deserve it.”

Noctis kneeled down to fill the vial. On his way back up, he yanked the stake out of Ardyn’s eye. Ardyn released a painful moan.

“I can’t wait to be rid of you,” whispered Noctis. He gripped the stake. “I can’t wait until you’re nothing but a memory.”

Ardyn smiled, exposing his bloodied teeth.

“I will never be a memory. I will always be right beside you.”

Noctis bent over again and eased the stake into Ardyn’s chest, savoring the small gasp that was made when it penetrated his heart. He died shortly, quietly after, his body turning into dust. It was a calm end for someone that had such a long, turbulent life.

Noctis couldn’t help but be disappointed. He had envisioned many different versions of the moment, all of them violent and ruthless and totally satisfying. In reality, it was neither violent nor ruthless and he felt less than satisfied as he replayed Ardyn’s last words in his mind, realizing that he was correct. Even in death, Ardyn would maintain control.

He heard bodies fall from the ground. Prompto, Gladio, and Iris were released from their suspension. He turned to see Gladio crawl over to Iris. Although severely beaten, Gladio managed to pull Iris into his arms, sobbing as he placed several kisses on her face. She began to stir shortly after and Gladio cried out with relief, continuing to kiss and hug her. Noctis was about to go over to them, but he caught something out of the corner of his eye. Prompto was crawling over to the siblings and, soon, the three were enveloping each other in a hug as they cried together.

He stopped in his tracks, feeling awkward as he watched. It felt like a private moment and he didn’t want to intrude. Seconds later, Dino came running over to them and they engulfed him into the hug, Iris giving him an unexpected kiss. Noctis still watched from afar, feeling a type of pain and loneliness that he hadn’t felt in a while blossom in his chest. He had never felt so out of place before and he realized that he truly didn’t belong in their group, despite how much he tried to fool himself. Soon, he let his monumental guilt eclipse all other emotion as he reminded himself that they all almost died for no reason, because of him. With that thought in mind, he slowly backed away and warped out of sight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been taking a break from basically everything and am pretty uninspired. I was going to abandon this story, but I picked it up again the other night to distract myself from things and...this happened. 
> 
> I know Gravity and Burst aren't spells that are used in FFXV. So, sue me.


	11. Prompto: The Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes a hard life’s still worth living.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's over! Thanks to everyone who gave the story a chance and stuck with it, especially to those who took the time to comment. You all have my deepest gratitude.

Noctis returned to his lair in the Pitioss Ruins. He felt bad leaving the group with no explanation, but he didn’t think he could manage talking to them. He would take one look at Prompto and undoubtedly make the decision to stay, which he wasn’t sure was the right one. There seemed to be nothing but an endless cycle of pain for him and those that he loved; he would rather spend the rest of his life alone than put Prompto and the others through more unnecessary agony. Pain was all Noctis knew and it was inevitable that he’d perpetuate it. He had no confidence that Ardyn’s death would make a difference.

He sat down at base of the statue of Eos, attempting to reflect upon the last twenty-four hours. It was difficult trying to wade through his feelings of guilt, sadness, and disappointment. Out of everything that happened to them that night, Noctis didn’t think he would ever forget how unsatisfying killing Ardyn was. He was owed an explanation, but it was something that he would never receive. It was something that was stolen from him, just like his life and freedom were. He ruminated over this fact and began to cry. The only thing he wanted more than Ardyn’s destruction was the truth. Revenge and the truth were the two things that prevented him from slipping into insanity over the past two millennia. The absence of the truth had devalued his revenge and that was something that he couldn’t accept.

He wiped at his bloody face and reached into a pocket, pulling out a black cloth. It was Prompto’s sacred bandanna, the one he wore around his right arm. He remembered asking Prompto more than once what the bandanna meant to him, but was always given a secretive smile as a result. Still, Noctis knew that it held some kind of significance and was surprised when Prompto had given it to him after they had made love in the tent, when they camped their first night out on the road. Wrapped inside of it was the small vial of Ardyn’s blood. He took it out and held it up to examine.

“Will this work? Or were you just lying to me?”

There was really only one way to find out.

***

Noctis knocked on the door of Kimya’s shack. It was very late and part of him hoped that she was sleeping and wouldn’t answer, just so he would have an excuse to return to Pitioss and continue his wallowing while the pain was still fresh. He was nearing a somewhat irrational emotional and mental state and had promised himself that, if he did not speak to her that night, then he would dispose of Ardyn’s blood and never emerge from his lair again.

“Foolish, that would be,” Kimya muttered as she opened the door. She stepped aside to let him in. “Come in, you may.”

Noctis walked in slowly. He hadn’t been inside of her shack since she first moved in as a young witch, about fifty years ago. It was before Noctis had considered her to be his enemy and he had visited her in hopes to strike up an alliance. He looked around.

“Things haven’t changed.” He paused. “I didn’t know you could read my thoughts.”

“All my secrets, I cannot reveal.” She smirked. “To an enemy, especially.” She closed the door, waddling to what Noctis supposed was her kitchen area. She placed a kettle on a small burner. “Tea?”

He shook his head. He sat down at a tiny, shaky table. Several squirrel carcasses hung from the wall above it and he frowned.

“Tomorrow’s dinner,” she said. “If you should stay.”

“I’m not staying.”

“Something stupid, you are thinking of.” Her tone was sharp. “Help, I will not give, if that is what you plan.”

“What I do with my life is none of your concern. Your potion probably won’t even work, so you don’t have anything to worry about.”

“Work, it will. Hence why help, I will not give, if death is what you plan.”

Noctis frowned again. He had tried extra hard to shield that particular thought.

“Really the answer, that is? One good reason, give me.”

They stared at each other for a long moment, then he slumped over in his chair. Noctis brought a shaky hand to his eyes, trying to wipe away the tears before they had a chance to spill.

“I have several reasons why suicide would be ideal.”

“But one extraordinary reason why it is not, you have. Takes just one reason, it does.” The kettle started whistling and she poured the boiling water into a mug. “Waiting in Insomnia, he is.” She walked over to the table, placing her mug down across from Noctis. Prior to sitting down, she pulled Noctis’ hand away from his eyes.

“Your tears, let them flow. The last time you will release blood tears, tonight is. Release them completely, then make them a thing of the past, you must.”

Noctis acquiesced, letting them freely fall. He cried for a long while, Kimya finishing her tea as the tears subsided. She got up and grabbed a cool, wet washcloth and began gently wiping his face.

“I’m in so much pain, Kimya. I can’t take it.”

“For everyone, sometimes life is pain,” she reassured, continuing to clean his face. “Cliché, this is, but give up, you mustn’t. Why come this far simply to give up? Betting on this, I believe Ardyn was. Stronger than that, you must be. Stronger than that, you are.

“Decision, it will be yours.” She walked over to the sink, discarding the washcloth. She turned around and leaned against it, staring intently at Noctis. “But, leave immediately you must, if following through with your plan, you insist. Aid you with your suicide, I will not.”

Noctis said nothing.

“Selfish you are, if you think Prompto will be able to move on. Dead you will be, so pain, you will not care about. The case for him, that will not be. More pain for him…I thought you no longer wanted?”

She sat back down at the table and waited patiently. After a moment, she propped an elbow on the tabletop and held out her hand. Noctis reached inside his pocket and grabbed the bandanna-wrapped vial for the second time that night. He placed the vial into Kimya’s hand and she smiled, closing her fingers around it. She immediately got to work, scurrying to her wall of potions and spell books. Despite Kimya’s assurance, he still had his doubts about the potion working.

“Rude,” she snapped as she leaned over to look through a book. “Very ungrateful guest.”

“It’s just…” Noctis thought for a moment. “I simply can’t believe that Ardyn would willingly give me his blood if what he said was true.”

“Make potion or not make potion: gave you a choice, he finally did. Betting on you to make wrong choice, I still say he was. Weak, he thought you to be. Not making potion, wrong choice. Making potion in order to kill yourself, wrong choice. Making potion to be with the one you love, right choice. Only choice.”

He left her alone after that, watching her create the potion in awe. The process was much more complex than simply adding strigoi blood to a regular potion like Ardyn had said, but Kimya was a masterful witch and her methods of creation spoke of true artistry. She had encountered no issues with making the final concoction. Noctis was grateful that she could put aside their differences to help him.

“Welcome, you are,” she smiled. She walked back over to Noctis with the blood vial and potion in hand. “Adding blood to potion last step, it is. Do it, I want you to.”

Noctis took the blood from her and added it to the potion base. Purple smoke rose from the potion’s vial and she handed it to him. He was nervous.

“Nervous, you shouldn’t be. Now, drink.”

Noctis sipped the potion, expecting the worst. When he realized that it didn’t taste horrible, he drained the vial quickly. He licked his lips, tasting the sweet remnants of the liquid.

“It was good,” he said. “Sweet.”

“Success, sweetness guarantees. Fine, you will be. Now, wait, we must.”

“When will I know when the process is done?”

Kimya smiled.

“Oh, know, you will.”

***

Noctis was keening; a horrid wailing sound. Kimya merely watched from her table as she sipped more tea. Initially, she had placed him in her bed once he started really feeling the effects of the potion, but now he crawled desperately on the floor of the shack, the pain driving him to a severe state of incoherence. It felt almost as bad as when Noctis was turned and he was fully aware that death was a possibility.

“Acting like a baby, please stop.” Kimya sighed. “Possibility of death, there is zero.”

“My heart,” Noctis gasped. He tried crawling over to her.

“Coming to an end, this is.” Noctis reached her and clutched at her knees. She patted him on his head then stood up to help him back to bed. She tucked him back in, gently caressing his clammy face, and waved a hand. “Sleep.” Noctis fell asleep almost immediately. Kimya sat up and sighed again, grateful that the wailing had finally stopped.

When Noctis woke up, the shack was dark and quiet. He sat up and peered behind the shade that was covering the window above the bed. It was still relatively dark out, but it looked like dawn was approaching.

“Finally, you wake.” Kimya was sitting at the foot of the bed, smiling.

“What time is it?” Noctis looked down at himself. He was shirtless and sweaty and felt absolutely disgusting. But, he didn’t really feel any different than he did before he consumed Kimya’s potion. He looked at her. “What day is it?”

“Early. Early morning, it is. Almost six. Sleeping for over a week, you have been.”

Noctis was stunned.

“A week? Did the potion work?”

Kimya got up from the bed and walked over to her bookshelf. She brought a moderately sized chest back with her and over to Noctis. She opened it, revealing several mementos, including a piece of paper with writing on it. She craned her neck to look over the top of the chest, trying to read. She pushed it closer to him.

“Look at the paper inside, I request.” She squinted. “Read aloud for me.”

Noctis’s brow furrowed and he leaned over. He reached out for the piece of paper.

“This? It says--”

She suddenly shut the chest on his hand with as much force as she could muster. He gasped in surprise, trying to quickly pull back, but his index finger still got caught and crushed. He screamed, the pain sending a sharp jolt up his arm.

“What the fuck?” He snatched his finger away and immediately brought it to his mouth, tasting blood.

“Apologize for the extreme measure, I do. But, if you do not believe my words when I say it worked, perhaps you will believe your pain.” She looked at his finger. “Still bleeding, it is? Still hurts, it does?”

Noctis looked at it. It was indeed still bleeding and throbbing, its color already turning into a violent purplish blue as his nail hung on for dear life. He brought it back to his mouth to suck on it.

“Yes.” He couldn’t help but smile. “It does.”

She returned the chest to the bookshelf then grabbed a standard potion, bringing it to him. He drank it and watched as his body healed itself as a result of the potion as opposed to his powers.

“Rising, the sun is.”

Kimya was beginning to open all of the shades and windows. At the sight of this, Noctis couldn’t help but recoil.

“Worry, you mustn’t. Not anymore.”

He took a deep breath and smelled the early morning air. He could hear the birds begin to chirp as the day began and became overwhelmed by emotion. His tears were clear, just like she had promised.

“Thank you, Kimya,” he whispered, unable to say anything else.

She nodded, walking back over to the bed to sit down next to him. In her hand, she had a mirror. She held it out for him. He looked at his reflection. He saw the face of a man who finally had some light behind his eyes after being forced to exist in the darkness for so long. He had hope.

“Face of a man who has survived, this is.” She lowered the mirror and took his hands into hers. “Beginning of your new life starts today. Go, live it. Waiting for you, someone is.”

***

Noctis hiked the several small, winding paths near Kimya’s shack to the edge of the main road. By the time he got there, he was thirsty and drenched in sweat, his feet hurting like hell. But as his skin tingled from the sun and he looked up at the clouds, he savored the physical discomfort that being mortal sometimes brought. As he continued to contemplate his new mortal existence, he felt giddy at the thought that he would -– maybe, someday -- be as old as Kimya. He would be able to grow old with the ones that he loved.

Now that he couldn’t warp, he didn’t exactly know how he was going to travel. He did the only thing he could think of, which was to walk slowly in the general direction of his destination and stick a thumb out to passing cars. He supposed people still hitchhiked. Three cars passed him before one finally stopped, an old, beat up red pickup truck. Noctis ran over to the passenger window.

“Are you headed east?” He asked, panting. “To Insomnia by any chance?”

“Nope.” The driver was a middle-aged man; a farmer. “But I am headed to Hammerhead. I can drop you there.”

Noctis nodded and jumped in the truck’s cab. He was startled as he unexpectedly saw a tiny chocobo chick in the front seat. The man laughed and held out his hand to shake, which Noctis took.

“Name’s Wiz. Don’t mind my baby girl Suzy. She won’t shit on you or anything.”

“Uh…” He looked at Suzy who was now sandwiched between them. She appeared to look back at him and let out a little kweh. “I’m Noctis.”

“Pleasure, I’m sure.” Wiz lit up a cigarette and spoke, mumbling around its filter, putting the car back in drive and pulling off. He took a deep drag and looked at Noctis again. “So, whaddya going to Insomnia for, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I don’t. I’m going there to meet someone.”

“Is that so?” Wiz waggled his eyebrows. “They must be pretty special if you’re trying to travel there from all the way out here without your own car. You got a special someone?”

“Yeah,” said Noctis. He turned his head to look out the window, closing his eyes as he felt the cool wind on his face. He smiled. “I do.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated. Thanks for reading!


End file.
